The Recruit (2003)

Director:

Roger Donaldson

Writers (WGA):

Roger Towne (written by) and
Kurt Wimmer (written by) ...

Release Date:

31 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Trust. Betrayal. Deception. In the C.I.A. nothing is what it seems.

Plot:

A brilliant young CIA trainee is asked by his mentor to help find a mole in the Agency.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Mole | Mentor | Spy | Product Placement

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Walter Burke
Colin Farrell	...	James Douglas Clayton
Bridget Moynahan	...	Layla Moore
Gabriel Macht	...	Zack
Kenneth Mitchell	...	Alan (as Ken Mitchell)
Mike Realba	...	Ronnie Gibson
Ron Lea	...	Bill Rudolph, Dell Rep
Karl Pruner	...	Dennis Slayne
Jeanie Calleja	...	Co-Ed #1
Jenny Levine	...	Blonde with Cell Phone (as Jennifer Levine)
Angelo Tsarouchas	...	Cab Driver
Veronica Hurnick	...	Polygraph Interrogator (as Veronika Hurnik)
Eugene Lipinski	...	Husky Man
Mark Ellis	...	Test Instructor
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Rob Stevens

Also Known As:

The Farm (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Persian | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Malaysia:U | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A (original rating) | UK:12 (video rating) | USA:PG-13 | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The scene where Colin Farrell's character tells the girl at the bar how he "just got out of jail" was Farrell's idea. He said he used it on a girl in a bar one time and that it worked, so the producers put the scene in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the lie detector test course, Layla can be seen looking in several directions (with her eyes only). However, on the monitor her eye keeps looking straight forward.

Quotes:

James Clayton: The Iwo Jima Memorial... this where you tell me about duty and sacrafice?
Walter Burke: No. This is where I have my breakfast burrito.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Too Little Too Late

I was recruited until the end

The Recruit has too many sub-plots and twists and turns. Pacino takes on the role as a CIA recruiter with a vengeance. Colin Farrell is spectacular as the recruit. His CIA girl friend (Moynahan) is extremely sexy, but Farrell manages to steal the scenes from her, one by one. It's directed with plenty of drama, mystery and intrigue. But there's something wrong with the movie? Could it be the studio? Or the writing? Don't know, I wasn't there. What I do know is that it's a great idea, but someone along the way messed it up big-time. If I was Pacino, I would have final say on the script and final cut. He must have been fuming. To make him do a Scarface sort of thing was absolutely pathetic. When the movie was over I felt cheated. Out of my DVD money and out of a good ending.