The Recruit
2003
James Clayton is fired up. A bartender by night and computer hacker in the few hours of daylight for which he manages to leave his water bed, the kid is flying high, on a roll with a laid-back lifestyle that suits him just fine. Played by an agile Colin Farrell, Clayton is also a heartthrob with his five o'clock shadow and .. Read more
| Starring | Colin Farrell, Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht |
|---|---|
| Director | Roger Donaldson |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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The Recruit
James Clayton is fired up. A bartender by night and computer hacker in the few hours of daylight for which he manages to leave his water bed, the kid is flying high, on a roll with a laid-back lifestyle that suits him just fine. Played by an agile Colin Farrell, Clayton is also a heartthrob with his five o'clock shadow and chiseled pecks. A cushy job offer from Dell computers peaks his interest in securing a professional career, and at the same moment he meets Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a recruiter from the CIA. Though Clayton's better judgement tells him to stay away from the shady Burke, he is curious to learn whatever he can about his father, who was also a CIA agent, killed in the line of duty. Clayton is sent to an intensive CIA training camp called "The Farm," where he quickly learns the gravity of his decision as he undergoes gruelling tests of physical, mental, and psychological strength. His romantic interest in the gorgeous, tough-as-nails Layla (Bridget Moynahan), a fellow trainee, becomes a weakness as the pressure of the tests steadily increases. Finally, without warning, Clayton is thrown into action as he and Burke go head-to-head in a mission that is more dangerous than either of them realize. With top-notch performances from a sly Pacino and a pumped-up Farrell, THE RECRUIT's best moments come from the intensity resonating between its characters. In addition, the settings and training activities at "The Farm" give intriguing insights into CIA recruitment and initiation.
| Starring | Colin Farrell, Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht, Eugene Lipinski |
|---|---|
| Director | Roger Donaldson |
| Studio | TOUCHSTONE HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 50 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 50 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Top Thrillers |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | DVD: 18 Aug 2003 Blu-ray: 21 Jan 2008 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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“Nothing is what it seems”, says Al Pacino, giving another gruff, seen-it-all performance — this time as veteran CIA agent Walter Burke who recruits cocksure computer whizzkid James Clayton (Colin Farrell). The same could be said about the plot of this thriller, an escapist diversion from No Way Out director Roger Donaldson. Most of the action takes place in “The Farm”, a CIA training facility where would-be agents are taught hi-tech espionage and survival skills, and where Clayton meets and falls for enigmatic rival Layla (Bridget Moynahan). Clayton's relationship with his grizzled mentor is then put to the test when Burke tells him that Layla is a mole and orders him — by any means necessary — to find out who she's working for. What follows is completely predictable.
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Despite an oft repeated mantra 'nothing is what it seems', a half-alert audience will be ahead of the agents in working out the villain of this paranoid thriller that begins well before succumbing to the usual conspiracy theories.
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Most helpful member's review
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33 out of 38 people found this review helpful
explosive thriller
in an era where a countrys' first line of defence ,intelligence is most important,comes an explosive thriller staring al pacino and colin farrell.James clayton(farell) might not have the attitude of a typical recruit,but he is one of the most smartest graduating seniors in the country-and he's just the person walter burke(pacino) wants in his agency.James regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to ordinary life,but before he becomes an opps officer,James has to survive the agencys secret training ground,where green recruits are moulded into seasonedc veterans.Burke teaches him the ropes and rules,james rises through the ranks and falls for layla(Moynahan),one of his fellow recruits.But just when james questions his role and his cat and mouse relationship with his mentor, burke taps him for a special assignment to root out a mole.As the suspense builds towards a gripping climax,it soon becomes clear that the CIA'S old maxims are true.'Trust no one' and 'nothing is what it seems'.
A trully outstanding film ,edge of seat action start to finnish. a must to see -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Enjoyed this one. Needed to think a bit because things were not always what they seemed.
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News and features
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88 Minutes
- 29 Sep 2008
You wait years for a new Al Pacino movie – and then two turkeys come out back to back. The misleadingly titled 88 Minutes (it lasts 108 minutes and feels much longer) was filmed three years ago, before last week’s not-quite-so-terrible-in-retrospect Righteous Kill. The fact that Mr Pacino would agree to work with director Jon Avnet again after this is trashy, tacky, ridiculous thriller is quite mindboggling, but then Al hasn’t had a great millennium lately (S1m0ne, People I... Read more
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- Recruit, The - BLU-RAY Version
- Blu-Ray: £17.93
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Computer genius, James Clayton, is one of the cleverest graduating seniors in the U.S. He is persuaded to try out for the CIA by enrolling in 'The Farm' - a secret training ground for new recruits. ... -
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- The Recruit
- DVD: £5.93
Free Delivery - RRP £19.79 (you save: 70%)
James Clayton is fired up. A bartender by night and computer hacker in the few hours of daylight for which he manages to leave his water bed, the kid is flying high, on a roll with a laid-back ... -