This is the kind of movie that deserves a lot more attention than it will generate, and that’s because it’s geared to an intelligent audience – the very audiences that decades ago loved “The Godfather” – but now lives in a world where these type of films just aren’t made anymore. And then there’s Matt Damon, who were used to seeing in “Bourne Identity” thrillers, this time taking on the lead as Edward Wilson a man-without-a-personality. He believes in forfeiting everything for his country, in a time when the CIA was just gearing up (spanning 1930s to 1960s). But his character is so deadpan serious it’s hard to find him likeable, and further hard to believe that this story about good guys – Godfather-ish crime lords in reverse, isn’t bad too. Damon’s the gate keeper – thus the good shepherd – deciding lives and guarding those who need protection. Angelina Jolie plays his man-eater wife (right at home in her role) until she becomes ignored, forgotten and depressed. Hard to imagine a man with Angelina at home would be more obsessed with government. But maybe that’s what’s wrong. She’s ill-cast. Robert DeNiro does a glorious job directing and also starring in the role as the General. DeNiro knows this type of movie – mobsters, good guys, bad guys and his past body of work (his very heart and soul) is clearly pumped into this slowly unraveling masterpiece. Yet while this movie doesn’t open with making an offer ‘you can’t refuse’ or a dead horse head in the bed, it has issues of who to trust, and when to lie, politics vs. family and even the obligatory wedding. Three and a half tiaras
