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The Good Shepherd

The tumultuous early history of the Central Intelligence Agency is viewed through the prism of one man’s life in The Good Shepherd, an espionage drama starring Academy Award® winners Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro and directed by Robert De Niro. Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) 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 his methods are adopted as standard operating procedure, Wilson develops into one of the Agency’s veteran operatives, all the while combating his KGB counterpart. However, his steely dedication to his country comes at an ever-increasing price. Not even his wife Clover (Angelina Jolie) or his beloved son can divert Wilson from a path that will force him to sacrifice everything in pursuit of this job.
20
Negative Rating
12345
SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
0
Positive Rating
12345
FaithIntegrity

Dove Review

This movie is a fictitious story based on events surrounding the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. While the actors perform well in their respective roles, the storyline is fractured by constant bouncing back and forth between 1939, 1941, 1960 and 1961. As a result, the screenplay does not present a very compelling story of Cold War intrigue between the Soviet Union KGB and the United States CIA. “The Good Shepherd” is a failed attempt to match the suspense and excitement of Matt Damon’s popular role as Jason Borne.

The first 40 minutes does not contain a single profanity, violent act, or inappropriate gesture. The remainder of the story becomes increasingly animated and violent with several on-screen graphic portrayals of adultery, fornication, brutal beatings, murders, suicides, and profanities.

Dove Rating Details

0
Faith

None

0
Integrity

brutal beating; point blank execution; two suicides; woman thrown from a plane; severed finger

4
Sex

three cases of adultery and fornication

3
Language

F-2; A-1; H-1; SOB-1; P*ss-1; slang for male genitles

5
Violence

brutal beating; point blank execution; two suicides; woman thrown from a plane; severed finger

2
Drugs

man given LSD

4
Nudity

female partially nude; males partially shown;

2
Other

man urinating on another man

More Information

Film Information
Genre
Runtime
160
Rating
N/A
Reviewer
Dick Rolfe
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