Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Breach
2007
***
Director: Billy Ray
Cast: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Caroline Dhavernas, Gary Cole, Kathleen Quinlan

Young FBI staffer Eric O'Neill dreams of becoming an agent. His chance arrives when he's assigned to work undercover as a clerk to Robert Hanssen, who is suspected of selling sensitive information to Russians. The veteran agent is an intelligent and deeply religious family man, but O'Neill gradually begins to feel that something's not quite right. Billy Ray follows his captivating debut Shattered Glass with another fact-based story about a conflicted, two-faced American. The story is fascinating and well acted, but not terribly exciting. Chris Cooper is wonderful as Hanssen, although the film refuses to speculate on his motives.