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Movies / Upcoming / The Recruit
The Recruit

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The Recruit (2003)

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Reviews Counted:163

Fresh:70

Rotten:93

Average Rating:5.5/10

Consensus: This polished thriller is engaging until it takes one twist too many into the predictable.

Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $52,724,557

Synopsis: 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... 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. [More]

Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht

Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht

Director: Roger Donaldson

Director: Roger Donaldson
Screenwriter: Kurt Wimmer, Mitch Glazer, Roger Towne
Producer: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jeff Apple
Studio: Touchstone Pictures

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Reviews for The Recruit

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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
 
 

..here is a film whose taut and intelligent script is well realised by a director who knows exactly where he is going and what he is doing. This is a collaboration of top talents, and Al Pacino .elevates the project immediately by his presence alone

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
03/08/03
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
03/07/03
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Rather predictable but slick entertainment.

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
02/09/03
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

Watchable only for its star power and scarce caffeine kicks...awfully predictable. [Blu-Ray]

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
06/01/08
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

Many would believe Pacino could do no wrong but he has. The Recruit serves only to ignite a pilot light in the imagination of espionage lovers everywhere.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
08/08/06
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film still makes a diverting entertainment in spite of its obviousness.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
02/08/05
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

Pacino's puppet-stringing of his recruit is reminiscent of Peter O'Toole's manipulative character in 1980's 'The Stunt Man.'

Full Review Source: Kansas City Kansan | comment Comment
10/15/04
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: tonymedley.com | comment Comment
10/07/04
Tony Medley
Tony Medley
tonymedley.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
05/19/04
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Director Roger Donaldson ... again shows a knack for creating intrigue and paranoia.

Full Review Source: Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) | comment Comment
01/06/04
Greg Maki
Greg Maki
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

Pacino doesn’t upstage Farrell, but there’s the sense he’s daring him to keep up, and Farrell does. Their scenes together crackle.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
01/04/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Interessante até o terceiro ato, quando se perde em ‘reviravoltas’ completamente previsíveis.

comment Comment
11/20/03
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

A standard-issue spy game with all the layered complexity of Ludo.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
10/19/03
Tim Robey
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph

Chris Owens: You're onscreen for about half a minute of The Recruit, but that half a minute was the most enjoyable experience I had all evening.

Full Review Source: ToxicUniverse.com | comment Comment
10/01/03
Keith Uhlich
Keith Uhlich
ToxicUniverse.com

...plays like one of those lame straight-to-video flicks that usually star either Eric Roberts or Dean Cain...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
08/01/03
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
07/02/03
Boston Phoenix
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 >> >|
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Latest News for The Recruit

April 22, 2008: Pacino, De Niro Take Lumps for Recent Choices Opens in new window
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