Doctors have found the cure for insomnia!!! (The Good Shepherd (DVD))

Member Name: MrTink12

Product:	The Good Shepherd (DVD)
Date:	16/05/07 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: not a lot

Disadvantages: too long, mind-numbing stuff

“The Good Shepherd is not recommended…[it] will put you to sleep”


Robert De Niro (A Bronx Tale) directs and stars in a film concerning the birth of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It was a few months ago now, but upon sitting down in the cinema I had high hopes for this movie. With numerous academy award winners cast, and having seen a very promising trailer, what could possibly go wrong? ‘Everything’ I am afraid to report. Unfortunately a great cast on paper does not mean a fabulous film. Read on if you want to find out the reasons The Good Shepherd was such a letdown, and film that should be avoided at all costs.


--------What is it all about?--------
Although the plot felt utterly pointless, in order to provide a comprehensive review I will outline the story of the film. The main character is Edward Wilson (Matt Damon). There are numerous flashbacks of his life, ranging from 1939 through to 1961. For instance we witness his initial recruitment to the agency, his marriage to Clover (Angelina Jolie), and a strained relationship with his son. The film tends to jump from one year, back to another, forward to another, returning to another, and so on and so forth causing much confusion at times. Even thinking of the film’s storyline has me yawning profusely. Excuse me for a few moments….


…. [Ten hours later]


--------My opinions: Is it any good?--------
In short the answer to this question is a resounding ‘no’. I fail to recall ever having dozed off whilst watching a film at the cinema, until The Good Shepherd that is. This is since the pace of the film is ultra slow, and so tedious that I would have had more fun watching paint dry or snails racing across the US state of Texas for that matter. I was literally begging for something interesting to happen, but to my disappointment this was not meant to be. The only nice thing I can say about the length of the film is that De Niro obviously tried hard to make a quality film, he simply failed miserably. ‘Why not leave the cinema?’ may be the question you are wondering. My answer would be: a comfortable seat, and a belief that having started watching a film you should finish viewing it. Nonetheless such a belief is currently being reconsidered.

The Good Shepherd provides no acting performances which you must see before you die. Lead actor Damon’s portrayal of a CIA operative is devoid of any personality; making is really hard as a viewer to feel anything for the character he plays. Jolie is wasted in this film, playing the typical lonely frustrated wife, which any old actress could have managed. Some of the actors have such limited roles that it is hard to say whether their performances were bad, great or indifferent. For example Joe Pesci is on screen for a matter of seconds, and gone quicker than you can say ‘The Good Shepherd is a real stinker of a movie’. Other actors with a similar fate included De Niro himself, alongside William Hurt, Alec Baldwin and many others. It would have been better if De Niro cast fewer big name actors, but gave those starring in the film more time to develop.


--------Final comments--------
I cannot stress enough, The Good Shepherd is not recommended viewing. Insomniacs may rejoice over the fact that this film will put you to sleep due to its monotony, but the rest of us could find much better things to do over a two hour forty-seven minute period. If you enjoy torture or simply wasting nearly three hours of your life, The Good Shepherd is available on DVD next month (June 2007). Please do not say I didn’t warn you!!!



Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed

Summary: Sleep induction film!