The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition) |  | Director: Robert De Niro
Actors: Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Tammy Blanchard
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.99
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Rating:  274 reviews
Sales Rank: 15850
Format: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Extra tracks, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 167 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: D61028671D
UPC: 025192867125
EAN: 0025192867125
ASIN: B000MXPE7O
Theatrical Release Date: December 22, 2006
Release Date: April 3, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
As one of the covert founders of the CIA, Cold War paranoia makes Edward Wilson grow suspicious of everyone around him; he will sacrifice anything to protect the organization and his country.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 4-SEP-2007
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com
A complicated movie about the Central Intelligence Agency and its agents, The Good Shepherd isn't your typical spy movie. Though it stars Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity films) and Angelina Jolie (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft franchise)--actors with considerable experience in the action-espionage genre--The Good Shepherd requires that they play more subdued and (much less interesting) characters here. The movie focuses on the career or Edward Wilson (Damon), a privileged Yale graduate who goes on to help found the CIA. He is a quiet, serious, and guarded man, even in the most intimate moments with his civilian wife (Jolie, in a role that wastes her talent). Set against a backdrop of real-life events such as the Bay of Pigs, The Good Shepherd is meticulous in creating a realistic timeframe. The film gets a jolt of excitement when Robert DeNiro (in his first directing role since 1993's A Bronx Tale) peppers the screen with appearances by Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, and William Hurt. But those moments are too infrequent. At 157 minutes long, the film is crammed with many factual details, but the characters are shortchanged when it comes to development. Viewers have to wonder why anyone, much less someone like Wilson who has everything going for him, would devote his life to a thankless job that brings so little happiness to himself and his family. The Good Shepherd is an ambitious but flawed film. The actors do a formidable job with a well-intentioned but meandering script. However, we meet so many characters and learn so little about each that it's difficult to drum up much empathy for any of them. --Jae-Ha Kim
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 274
 As murky and suffocating as the world it portrays... February 28, 2010
David Wilkins (Minnesota)
The 4-stars are awarded despite some conflicted feelings. As a total piece of work 'The Good Shepherd' stumbles a bit, due to its scale of intent. The telling of such an involved and serpentine history, is nearly too tall an order. I recommend that the undecided not be swayed by negative or positive remarks by me or anyone else, but watch and reach your own conclusion; the exception would be viewers not inclined to enjoy long, leisurely paced movies packed with detail. The Good Shepherd is all those things, times two. The story spans decades of political history and much of the personal life of an agent named Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), who was onboard during World War II, when what became the CIA was known as the OSS, and concerned itself with missions more directly related to that war.
The story covers the birth of the CIA with Wilson and his associates, during the anxiety following WW II, and moving on up through the 1960's. A large number of professional critics were unkind to this movie, and in some regards it's understandable. There are flaws, including the failure to use simple story telling devices to help clarify time, place, and perspective. Matt Damon, who appears in most scenes, looks much the same during the span of decades. A simple but pronounced visual cue to differentiate would have paid big dividends. But what I found more off-putting, was the suffocating nature of the Damon character, and therein lies a strength and a weakness: a less entertaining portrayal that probably reveals something closer to truth. There have been many complaints about lethargic pacing and lack of action, but there's never a lack of tension and anxiety. The portrayal sometimes loses entertainment value, but their world wasn't James Bond. One particular aspect comes through loud and clear during this movie: the suffocating lifestyle, and the alienating effect of a never ending charade, both public and private. I imagine that similar losses of person-hood and family life were not uncommon, and continue still. As has been said of the covert world: Black is white, and white is black. Though sometimes stifling, The Good Shepherd is a journey worth taking.
 History of the CIA January 27, 2010
G. Waldhauser
A must-see movie with excellent performances of DeNiro and Damon, excellent cast in general. As I like movies with more than 120 minutes, this is of course one of my favorites! Highly recommendable.
Who is Kim? January 20, 2010
Eugene Landry (New Orleans, LA)
I have to give an argument to the official Amazon review of this movie. This is one of my favorite movies right now. It shows what is so great about this country, that men and women with everything going for them are willing to sacrifice everything to do a thankless job. The whole point of Damon's character is to show how cold and calculated every move has to be when working in the world of espionage. It's not that they did not want to develop a character in a story, it shows the real world consequences of basically leading a double life. So whoever this guy is that wrote the review for Amazon needs to check which country he lives in and thank the people like Matt Damon's character that protect them without ever wanting anything, especially a thank you, because they love this country.
it was worth watching January 14, 2010
J. K. Rih
This movie got very interesting reviews that some people like and some dislike. I'd like to interpret it anyhow you should get some kind of strong impression after watching this film which is either good or not. Only I can say is it was worth watching.
The Good Shepherd January 6, 2010
Arnita D. Brown (USA)
Edward Wilson understands the value of secrecy--discretion and commitment to honor have been embedded in him since childhood. As an eager, optimistic student at Yale, he is recruited to join the secret society Skull and Bones, a brotherhood and breeding ground for future world leaders. Wilson's acute mind, spotless reputation and sincere belief in American values render him a prime candidate for a career in intelligence, and he is soon recruited to work for the OSS (the precursor to the CIA) during WWII. As one of the covert founders of the CIA, working in the heart of an organization where duplicity is required and nothing is taken at face value. A masterful movie, but also one that demands your full attention.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 274
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