Perfect cast and a good story

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Many films based on a true story are either hampered by their source material or dragged down by uninspired transition from reality to screen. "Breach" is an exception to this rule by provided high drama and suspense even whey you know what is coming and how everything will turn out.For a basic plot summary, "Breach" sees young FBI recruit Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) tabbed by the Bureau to spy on senior agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper), who is both a sexual deviant and a traitor and thus an embarrassment/risk to the organization.For me, this movie succeeded on two different levels:First, of course, is the tension in trying to catch the most accomplished spy in United States history. Not until the very end of the film do viewers find out if Hanssen is on to the investigators, thus creating suspense in nearly every scene.Second, and perhaps most importantly, is the portrait painted of Hanssen. There are so many discrepancies between "Hanssen the spy" & "Hanssen the man" that puzzling through them leads to a fascinating character study. Without knowing "the whole story" (and you won't, unless you have prior knowledge of the case, until the very end of the movie) about Hanssen, you will (at times) actually find yourself agreeing with many things he says/does. He is an intensely conflicted individual, to be sure, and those types of personalities just translate well onto the big screen. I give director Billy Ray props for that transition.About the only reason I can't give this film the full five stars (4.5 would more more accurate) is because it could have focused so much more on WHY Hanssen was doing his espionage to begin with. This is hinted at throughout the movie, but I felt it needed to be better developed in order to take "Breach" to that "next level".Overall, "Breach" is a great flick that tells an intriguing story about a real-life individual. The acting is top-notch, the suspense/drama is palpable, and the morality issues & character development are superb. If you like political films in particular, this one will rocket to the top of your "favorites" list.

"America's state religion is patriotism, a phenomenon which has convinced many that 'treason' is morally worse than murder or rape." - William Blum "Breach" stars Chris Cooper as Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who spends two decades selling state secrets to the Soviet Union. In an attempt to gather incriminating evidence against Hanssen, the FBI assign agent Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) to work undercover as Hanssen's clerk."Breach" oozes Sigmund Freud. It finds Hanssen betraying his nation because he believes that it is responsible for his anonymity and impotency. Like an ignored son, Hanssen thus lashes out, desperately clamouring for "daddy" to notice him. Of course "daddy" - The Big Other qua Nation State – eventually does. Not tolerating any other avenues of power beyond its own, the United States Government promptly crushes Hanssen.The film's Oedipism extend to O'Neill. O'Neill comes from a long line of government foot-soldiers, a calling he initially rejects. But feeling that he has betrayed both the state-as-father and his literal father, O'Neill eventually joins the FBI. In short, O'Neill does the State's bidding in order to ingratiate himself with a "daddy" he feels he has abandoned, whilst Hanssen betrays the State because he feels as though "daddy" has first abandoned him. Elsewhere the film delves into Hanssen's obsession with both Catholicism and sex, the former a form of guilty penance, the latter a feeble means of asserting control.Though riveting, "Breach" isn't as good as the best "undercover" movies ("Serpico", "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold", "Donnie Brasco", "Army of Shadows", "Molly Maguires", "The Falcon and the Snowman", "Prince of the City" etc). It's too apolitical, too scared to question blind fidelity to Western Super Imperialists and their federal bodies. Indeed, "Breach" ends with text reminding us that Hanssen's leaks led to "government assets dying", a bit of emotional blackmail whose interrogation a better artist would make this film actually about. The film's stance is particularly timid in light of recent revelations surrounding full-spectrum, global surveillance; the United States now deems all of its citizens guilty of defacto treason.On the level of psycho-drama and character study, however, "Breach" is excellent. Cooper is fascinating as Hanssen – simultaneously creepy, pathetic and endearing – and the film is beautifully lit, shot, and remains quietly engrossing throughout. Caroline Dhavernas co-stars as O'Neill's clichéd "uppity wife".7.9/10 – See "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold".

This was pretty good for such a dry, slow-burning movie, it drags at times but still manages to keep a level of tension and suspense going throughout and I id end up really enjoying this. Ultimately it was the strong performances from both Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe that saved this for me.Cooper is intense and creepy here displaying a range of mystique. Laura Linney as his handler was quite bitchy. Ryan plays an FBI Trainee who is assigned to keep en eye on a fellow agent suspected of selling information to the soviets. Its his first real case and initially he's not even sure what he's looking for. 7/17/14

As we had a similar case in Estonia some years ago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Simm), it was interesting to watch this movie - and I found lots of similarities between the Hanssen and Simm cases: making fuss about petty things and strict relationships with subordinates, for instance. The plot is intense, all actor are good or great (beginning with Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillipe, whose mutual dialogs are full of intensity and exactness). Even if you know the result, it is fascinating to monitor the events leading to this solution.However, it is still awkward how a person with such experience (Hanssen) was not suspicious in his new job and new room; a "contra-cam" could have disclosed already initiated investigations.Well, recommended to those fond of "silent spying".