[IMG:L]Breach — 8/7c on HBO
Let’s be honest: HBO’s Saturday night premieres of late, while not bad, have been movies you’ve already seen (Happy Feet) and/or are tired of hearing about (Dreamgirls).
Tonight’s Breach is, refreshingly, neither.
On the other hand, had Breach been released during the current Oscar Season–instead of February 2007–it would’ve garnered much more buzz.
Chris Cooper most certainly would’ve snagged a Supporting Actor nod for his role as FBI Agent Robert Hanssen, and the movie itself would’ve made more money than it did ($32.8 million).
But Breach’s under-the-radar status is your gain tonight, as you go in with no preconceived notions about the movie–other than the smattering of praise upon its release. And this: Breach is damn good!
Ryan Phillippe’s young FBI pup plays cat-and-mouse with the always amazing Cooper’s Hanssen, the real-life agent convicted of spying for Russia for 15 years.
Director/co-writer Billy Ray (Shattered Glass) is the movie’s real star, though, a bigger asset than even Cooper. Every second of the movie is a no-frills thrill, thanks mostly to his organic style.
