Movie review - "Breach" (2007) ***1/2

Chris Cooper has one of thoe magnificent actor faces that say so much and its put to great use here as America's most successful spy. Like the "hero" of Shattered Glass, this film shows true characters are more interesting than fiction: Cooper's spy is a devoted family man who nonetheless likes strippers and Catherine Zeta Jones, has great sex with his wife - so great he films it on video and writes about it on the net, is a devout Catholic, a bitter public servant, smart but dumb, etc. It's a wonderful role and the actor does it justice. Ryan Philippe is fine as the agent sent to get him - like many Philippe performances you go "that's better than I thought it would be", but it's still a shame a really good actor couldn't have played it, especially as this is basically a two hander. Worthy support from ever reliables Gary Cole and Laura Linney. A really smart movie made by smart people, even if it still contains the inevitable "why are you never home" domestic scenes.