The Recruit

Name: The Recruit
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: January 31, 2003
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 56
Cast: Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan, Colin Farrell

2003

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 62 Ratings

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5.9

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5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 62 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: January 31, 2003 | PG-13

Starring: Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan, Colin Farrell

Summary: An explosive thriller starring Al Pacino and Colin Farrell that for the first time opens the CIA's infamous closed doors and gives an insider's view into the Agency: how trainees are recruited, how they are prepared for the spy game, and what they learn to survive. (Touchstone Pictures)

Director: Roger Donaldson

Genre(s): Action, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

From the get-go, The Recruit is one of those thrillers that delights in pulling the rug out from under you, only to find another rug below that. Read full review

Chuck Wilson

Visibly uninspired, Pacino gives a perfunctory performance -- though surely he must have looked over at Farrell and been reminded of himself 30 years ago, all jacked-up and beautiful, like a stallion at the gate. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

May have a storyline as generic as its title, but in the explosive Pacino and the smoldering Farrell (who nearly stole "Minority Report" from Tom Cruise), it has a pair of stars who are not as easily dismissed. Read full review

Kevin Carr

There are glimpses of a real actor struggling to get out of Pacino, although they are rare. It’s as if Pacino is dying to act, but he’s either too old or director Roger Donaldson just isn’t allowing him to do it. Read full review

Dallas Observer Andy Klein

But by the end the audience, along with Clayton, has been jerked around so many times that it's almost too exhausting...By then, it's almost impossible to care. Read full review

Peter Rainer

For most of this movie, things are exactly what they seem--mediocre.

David Denby

The Recruit is quick and tense, and some of it is fun, but I didn't believe a single thing in it, and the over-all effect of the movie is to make one depressed that the Christmas "art" season is over. [27 January 2003, p. 94]

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User Reviews

InFAMOUSDexter

Oct 14, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't understand why you people don't like this film. I personally think that it is amazing, and also is you take a look at the other films that are released that year, it make it even better.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Broyax

Jan 21, 2017

Un peu long, une fin au rebondissement tarabiscoté et un Colin Farrell qui semble pour le moins perdu face à un Al Pacino éclatant et grandiose (comme de coutume). Si on devait donner une définition du charisme en deux mots, ce serait "Al Pacino" et ce serait tout-à-fait normAl.

Néanmoins,Un peu long, une fin au rebondissement tarabiscoté et un Colin Farrell qui semble pour le moins perdu face à un Al Pacino éclatant et grandiose (comme de coutume). Si on devait donner une définition du charisme en deux mots, ce serait "Al Pacino" et ce serait tout-à-fait normAl.

Néanmoins, le film ne repose pas entièrement sur ses épaules de superstar : Roger Donaldson livre un film consciencieux à la réalisation de bon élève appliqué quoique sans génie... et pour un film d'espions, l'intrigue se laisse suivre sans aucune migraine, preuve d'une ossature assez solide pour réussir à nous induire en erreur ici et là.

La fin est vraiment maladroite, pas en elle-même, mais la façon dont elle est amenée et résolue, ce qui nous laisse à penser ce que l'on pensait depuis le début : la recrue est un petit con. Heureusement qu'Al est là... un génie !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

mohamad91hk

Jun 30, 2020

so many twists that make you confused instead of surprised, one of the twist was stupid and doesn't make sense, on the other hand, the film attract you until the end and Colin Farrell did a great job in this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MovieGuys

Aug 16, 2014

The Recruit is one of those thrillers that thinks it's so much smarter than it is, and tries to confuse and trick you by making you think "nothing is what it seems" and such, even though the whole thing just doesn't make any sense. This is an age-old movie trick that is getting tired. JustThe Recruit is one of those thrillers that thinks it's so much smarter than it is, and tries to confuse and trick you by making you think "nothing is what it seems" and such, even though the whole thing just doesn't make any sense. This is an age-old movie trick that is getting tired. Just because a movie is complicated and vague, does not mean it's a good movie. This one tries to be as good as a Bourne movie, but the thrills and visceral performances just aren't there. Even Pacino looks bored!

The one plus of the movie is that it is interesting to see the training involved in becoming a CIA employee. this part of the movie kept me engaged the whole time, even if the rest of it felt like a generic Hollywood spy thriller.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eva3si0n

Feb 12, 2023

The Recruit is a classic action thriller in the early 2000s. The film has an excellent acting duet in the title role, you can even say that it attracts viewing. But everything else is done at the average level. As the thriller The Recruit failed, as it does not keep the viewer at the screenThe Recruit is a classic action thriller in the early 2000s. The film has an excellent acting duet in the title role, you can even say that it attracts viewing. But everything else is done at the average level. As the thriller The Recruit failed, as it does not keep the viewer at the screen at all, the first half of the film is tedious and boring. Even if the film were a pilot of the series, it would seem boring. The second half of the film is already watchable, but she does not have time to reveal the characters. Only the plot begins to unwind, and already the ending. And the most annoying thing is the main plot twist, which almost any viewer understands by the middle of the film. The Recruit is a mediocre film that can only be recommended for viewing by fans of Al Pacino or Farell.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tyranian

Sep 18, 2019

Pacino and Farrell are good but this film has more twists than are reasonable.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Avalon011

May 3, 2016

This movie is just completely stupid, the recruit is just obsessed throughout the whole movie with this girl and making a fool out of himself, I was hoping he would get shot.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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