A more or less by the numbers spy thriller. Saying that though by focusing the plot on Robert Redfords character (the older, wiser and soon to retire) 'old-school', desk bound CIA operative the film doesn't fall into the stereotypical action-cum-spy thriller with pyrotechnics every couple of minutes or rooms full of spy-geeks staring at screens showing the latest satellite 'intel' to cover plot ground.
The film demonstrates that good old fashioned cunning and guile (plus knowing how the system works) is still enough to ensure that the right thing gets done. In this case the right thing is to try and ensure Brad Pitts character (the younger CIA field operative and Refords protégé) is freed from a Chinese prison instead of being left to the executioners in the name of political expediency from powerful people in suits high up in the US Administration and CIA.
This is, in a nutshellm, the film - Redfords must spend his last day at work fighting against the system and senior 'men in suits' to try and get his errant protégé Pitt released from a foreign jail.
Unfortunately the script and plots/sub-plots are never more than efficient, albeit fairly obvious. Brad Pitt hasn't too much to work with (and again he's efficient with what he has). The love interest in this film (and ultimately the reason Pitt's character ends up in the Chinese prison) is really quite weak - there's no on-screen chemistry and it stretches ones credulity a bit much for something so crucial to the story.
All-in-all worth a view. In it's favour the film doesn't fall into the crash-bang-wallop category of other films in this genre, and therefore remains believable, and induces a little empathy for the characters. On the down side there's nothing new here from the actors or the story and it's quietness and averageness will probably ensure you've forgotten you've even seen this film after a couple of weeks.
The film demonstrates that good old fashioned cunning and guile (plus knowing how the system works) is still enough to ensure that the right thing gets done. In this case the right thing is to try and ensure Brad Pitts character (the younger CIA field operative and Refords protégé) is freed from a Chinese prison instead of being left to the executioners in the name of political expediency from powerful people in suits high up in the US Administration and CIA.
This is, in a nutshellm, the film - Redfords must spend his last day at work fighting against the system and senior 'men in suits' to try and get his errant protégé Pitt released from a foreign jail.
Unfortunately the script and plots/sub-plots are never more than efficient, albeit fairly obvious. Brad Pitt hasn't too much to work with (and again he's efficient with what he has). The love interest in this film (and ultimately the reason Pitt's character ends up in the Chinese prison) is really quite weak - there's no on-screen chemistry and it stretches ones credulity a bit much for something so crucial to the story.
All-in-all worth a view. In it's favour the film doesn't fall into the crash-bang-wallop category of other films in this genre, and therefore remains believable, and induces a little empathy for the characters. On the down side there's nothing new here from the actors or the story and it's quietness and averageness will probably ensure you've forgotten you've even seen this film after a couple of weeks.