RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Breach
Breach

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Breach (2007)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
84 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:170

Fresh:142

Rotten:28

Average Rating:7/10

Consensus: Powered by Chris Cooper's masterful performance, Breach is a tense and engaging portrayal of the FBI's infamous turncoat.

Runtime: 3 hrs 42 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $32,958,840

Synopsis: Chris Cooper (ADAPTATION) gives a remarkable performance as complicated and bitter FBI agent Robert Hanssen in BREACH. Hanssen is a computer specialist who, after 25 years of service, is put under... Chris Cooper (ADAPTATION) gives a remarkable performance as complicated and bitter FBI agent Robert Hanssen in BREACH. Hanssen is a computer specialist who, after 25 years of service, is put under surveillance as a suspected sex offender. Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe, CRASH) is the ambitious young upstart they put on the job, assigning him to pose as Hanssen's new clerk in order to win his trust and keep an eye on his every move. Eric is dismayed to be put on such low-priority detail, accustomed as he is to investigating high-profile terrorism suspects. His reluctance is multiplied as he gets to know the subject of his inquiry; Hanssen is at first harsh towards his young secretary, but as he opens up, Eric gets to know and respect him as a family man of strong Catholic faith. Soon, however, Hanssen is infiltrating Eric's personal life and causing problems between him and his wife, Juliana (Caroline Dhavernas, HOLLYWOODLAND), and just when Eric is about to give up the case, he discovers that it is much bigger than he ever imagined. Eric finds himself in the middle of an investigation into the biggest security breach in U.S. history, forcing him to resort to dramatic and ingenious tactics in order to bring down the suspect. Director Billy Ray's first directorial effort was the dramatization of the Stephen Glass scandal at the D.C. magazine The New Republic in SHATTERED GLASS, and here he once again turns his eye--with great success--to a true story with a complex villain. Cooper's excellent characterization invites pity and horror in equal measure; his performance is well supported in this character-driven thriller by Laura Linney (KINSEY) as the hard-nosed agent leading the investigation, and Phillippe as the resourceful and introspective O'Neill. [More]

Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Kathleen Quinlan, Laura Linney

Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Kathleen Quinlan, Laura Linney, Gary Cole, Dennis Haysbert, Caroline Dhavernas, Bruce Davison

Director: Billy Ray

Director: Billy Ray
Producer: Scott Kroopf
Composer: Mychael Danna
Studio: Universal Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Leak Investigation
    >
    Eric O'Neill
    >
    Chris Cooper
    >
  • Ryan Phillippe
    >
    Billy Ray
    >
1 - 4 of 6

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Breach

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Get ready to hold your breath - this intelligently told story is filled with tension and fascinating at every turn.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
05/13/07
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
05/12/07
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...a slow-paced character study that benefits substantially from Chris Cooper's downright astounding performance...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
11/07/09
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

Muffles suspense and dilutes tension without turning into a distanced approach

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/27/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Peter Keough
Peter Keough
Boston Phoenix

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Brian Marder
Brian Marder
Hollywood.com

Stvarni svijet se u "Pukotini", kao i u mnogo drugih slu%u010Dajeva, pokazao previ%u0161e kompliciranim za dogmatsku jednostavnost i nedostatak suptilnosti dana%u0161njeg Hollywooda.

Full Review Source: Index.hr | comment Comment
04/10/08
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
Index.hr

Breach, a slow-burn thriller told from the inside out instead of the outside in, is not a great film. But it could have been. It will have to settle for being simply a very good film.

Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com

Cooper gives a great performance as a man now spending 23 hours a day in solitary confinement, serving a life sentence without the prospect of probation.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
09/08/07
Philip French
Philip French
Observer [UK]

Enjoyable, slow-burning thriller with an intelligent script and strong performances from its two leads.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
08/31/07
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Breach is slow, but never ponderous, and not at all like your average spy thriller. It has less obvious thrills and more depth.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
08/31/07
Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
This is London

Breach rarely treads new ground, but the set pieces are used so sparingly and with such focus on the central characters, the movie reaches a degree of tension you might not think possible.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
08/31/07
Rich Phippen
Rich Phippen
Sky Movies

Cooper is always dead-bang on

Full Review Source: Norman Transcript | comment Comment
08/31/07
Jim Chastain
Jim Chastain
Norman Transcript

A sombre game of cat-and-mouse. What it lacks in genuine tension it amply compensates in the understated performances of the two leads.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
08/31/07
Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Independent

Intriguing and intelligent, Breach may be too understated for its own good.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
08/31/07
David Gritten
David Gritten
Daily Telegraph

An interestingly told tale: melancholy, thoughtful, and very un-American.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
08/31/07
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Chris Cooper, who won an Oscar for his supporting role in Adaptation, gives a brilliant poker-faced performance as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe is also convincing as O’Neill.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
08/31/07
Sun Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Despite a couple of tense set pieces, the suspense needed to ignite this film is disappointingly lacking.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
08/31/07
Wendy Ide
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

In the face of such a towering performance from Cooper, Phillippe keeps his end up while Laura Linney, as his handler, delivers the kind of turn we’ve come to expect from one of America’s finest movie actresses.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
08/31/07
Daily Mirror [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for Breach

September 21, 2007: Ryan Phillippe, Eva Green, Sam Riley Join Franklyn
Ryan Phillippe, Eva Green, and Sam Riley are heading into the future. More...

July 21, 2007: trailer and preview Opens in new window
More...

April 26, 2007: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

March 19, 2007: Box Office Guru Wrapup: "300" Reigns Again as Box Office King
Three new competitors were no match this weekend for the mighty action epic "300," which easily defended its box office crown to rule North American theaters for a... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

70% 70% Where the Wild Things Are 03/12
83% 83% Paranormal Activity 03/12
89% 89% Zombieland 03/12
76% 76% The Informant! 03/12
— The Strength of Water 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Shock! Horror?

Shock! Horror?

Lars von Trier talks Antichrist

Avatar

Avatar

Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video

RT's Twilight corner

RT's Twilight corner

Everything you need on New Moon is here

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
9
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
20
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
12
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
116
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
176
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
130
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
97
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
75
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
73
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
58
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
35
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
13
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
12
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
13
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
9
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Breach at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Breach at IGN
  • Breach at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Why Don't Australians Make Sci-fi?
Why Don't Australians Make Sci-fi? External Link

The New Matilda's Lynden Barber looks at the recent success of low-budget sci-fi -- and asks the question.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.