The story of fbi traitor robert hanssen, arrested for selling government secrets to russia in 2001, is the subject of the movie breach. Spy robert hanssen, fbis eric oneill breach movie true story. And ray offers an intriguing, albeit permeable, character study of those whom our countrys security so delicately rests upon. In february, 2001, robert hanssen, a senior agent with 25 years in the fbi, is arrested for spying. You dont usually see nominationlevel, showcase performances this early in the year, but cooper delivers at the highest level in an expertly rendered piece of work thats even more impressive than his best supporting actor turn in adaptation and perhaps anything else the versatile cooper has done. Eric oneill, a computer specialist who wants to be made an agent is assigned to clerk for hanssen and to write down everything hanssen does. His parents were from texas, where cooper was raised.
He also includes, despite moderate restraint, just enough. Breach is based on the true story of robert hanssen, the worst traitor in u. Breach 2007 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Breach 2007 biography, crime, drama, history, thriller. He played a lead role in the historical and political thriller breach 2007, playing fbi agent and traitor robert hanssen.
Chris cooper, ryan phillippe, laura linney, caroline dhavernas. Chris cooper goes inside the mind of a spy in breach feb 14, 2007. Fbi upstart eric oneill enters into a power game with his boss, robert hanssen, an agent who was put on trial for selling secrets to the soviet union. A sophisticated spy thriller directed by billy ray, breach creates suspense through intense dialogue exchanges and strong character development, thus avoiding big explosions, repetitive gunfights, and wild car chases. Birds of prey, bloodshot, and college basketball movies. The movie covers how hanssen played by chris cooper. Eric oneill ryan phillippe, a lowlevel surveillance expert with the fbi, believes he is accomplishing his dream of becoming a fullfledged agent, with his unexpected promotion and assignment to work with renowned agent robert hanssen chris cooper. Breach on dvd june 12, 2007 starring chris cooper, ryan phillippe, laura linney, dennis haysbert.
Adaptation christopher walton cooper was born in kansas city, missouri, to mary ann walton, a homemaker, and charles sherwood cooper, a cattleman and internist who served as a doctor in the us air force. Transforming into robert hanssen in the reallife fbi case. Powered by chris coopers masterful performance, breach is a tense and engaging. I watched this movie last night and there was a point where robert hanssen played by chris cooper said something to the effect of this is the best pen, id never write with anything else.
A key member of the fbis elite soviet analytical unit, robert hanssen more. The story of fbi spy robert hanssen makes for a film that offers a tale of reallife espionage that doubles as a compelling psychological drama. Feb 05, 2007 chuck the movieguy interviews chris cooper for the movie breach. Learn the true story behind this spy movie that stars chris cooper and ryan phillippe. The screenplay, written by ray, adam mazer and william rotko, is based on the true story of robert hanssen, an fbi agent convicted of spying for the soviet union and later russia for more than two decades, and eric oneill, who worked as his assistant and helped bring about his downfall. Based on the true story, fbi upstart eric oneill enters into a power. Breach is based on the true story of spy robert hanssen, who was arrested in 2001 for treason and sentenced to life in prison.
The cast phillippe, cooper, laura linney, dennis haysbert, kathleen quinlan, caroline dhavernas, and others is firstrate, and every actor turns in a fine performance. However, he soon learns the reason for his promotion is to gain hanssens trust and find proof that he is a traitor to the country. The film is based on the true story of fbi agent robert hanssen chris cooper, a traitor who provoked one of the biggest security breaches in u. In the movie breach, hanssen chris cooper sits at his desk watching a dvd of what appears to be the movie entrapment starring actress catherine zetajones. Chris cooper gives hanssen the actors signature intensity and menace.
Ryan phillippe seems a little onedimensional and, at times, is the weak link of the movie. Oneill is played by ryan phillippe while chris cooper is hanssen, a paranoid malcontent who was both a sexual deviant and a member of the roman. Chris cooper, one of our finest screen actors, gets inside the mysterious traitor. Breach star chris cooper met with the fbi agent who investigated his. With chris cooper, ryan phillippe, dennis haysbert, laura linney. Peter rainer of the christian science monitor named breach the best film of the year. Breach internet movie firearms database guns in movies. When young eric oneill phillippe is promoted out of his lowlevel surveillance job and into the headquarters of the federal bureau of inv.
The movie left a lot of this out, but his father was probably the biggest. When young eric oneill is promoted out of his lowlevel. Breach is a very good film that quite competently tells the story of how oneill becomes the key figure in finally bringing robert hanssen to justice. Fbi trainee eric oneill ryan phillippe, left is hand picked to keep an eye on suspected spy robert hanssen chris cooper in breach. Chris cooper, ryan phillippe and laura linney star in this factbased thriller about an fbi turncoat. Unlike a lot of hollywood films that are based solely on the writers imagination, breach was based on a real story and real people. Inspired by the true story of the greatest security breach in u. Inspired by the incredible true story of the greatest security breach in u.
Chris cooper did not make his first screen appearance until he was thirtysix years old. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all. Rent breach 2007 starring chris cooper and ryan phillippe on dvd and bluray. This evening sean and i went to see the movie breach its based on the true story of fbi agent robert hanssen who served as a spy for russia and the soviet union for at least 15 years. Chris cooper full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. The aggressive tactics he uses to climb the professional ladder leave him misunderstood by his surveillancelevel peers, but it seems hes to have the last laugh when he receives a call from headquarters. Everything you need to know about breach movie 2007. Unlike in the movie, oneill never saw hanssen after the arrest. While some of the events were fictionalized to make a movie. Two cia agents clash and at last heres an espionage movie that shows. The events depicted in breach are the ones that led up to hanssens arrest on feb. As eric is both ambitious and looking for some sort of moral order in the shadowy world of the fbi, he comes to admire hanssens seeming adherence to rules and beliefs. Breach is a 2007 american spy thriller film directed by billy ray. Breach trailer directed by billy ray and starring chris cooper, ryan phillippe, gary cole, dennis haysbert, bruce davison.
Chris cooper celebrity profile check out the latest chris cooper photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Agentintraining eric oneill ryan phillippe is assigned to a desk job in the basement office of robert hanssen chris cooper, a grumpy, mistrustful. Powered by chris cooper s masterful performance, breach is a tense and engaging portrayal of. That its based on a true spying chris cooper delivers a performance like nobody has ever seen. He invites eric to watch, asking eric what he thinks of her. A cast led by chris cooper offers a compelling look. Chris cooper and billy ray in breach 2007 chris cooper in breach 2007 kathleen quinlan in breach 2007. Breach is the suspense thriller based on the true story of robert hanssen, an fbi agent convicted of spying for the soviet union and later.
Christopher walton cooper was born in kansas city, missouri in 1951 2. In every important way, breach isnt just a solid thriller. Released february 16th, 2007, breach stars chris cooper, ryan phillippe, laura linney, dennis haysbert the pg movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 50 min, and received a score of 74 out of 100. She tells him that hanssen chris cooper is suspected of sexual perversions, which he hides behind a strictly catholic facade. Stephen hunter of the washington post named it the ninth best film of 2007. Cooper won both the academy award and golden globe award for best supporting actor for his role in the 2002 film adaptation. Pg drama, thriller, action movie 2007 a young fbi employee ryan phillippe must prove that an esteemed agent chris cooper is a mole. Ryan phillippe has been unfairly criticized for being to. Chris cooper owns breach in a way that makes it impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. In 2007, he appeared as a government agent in dangerous territory in the action thriller the kingdom and voiced the character douglas in the film adaptation of maurice sendak s book, where the wild things are 2009. The most famous phrases, film quotes and movie lines by chris cooper. Spy robert hanssen, fbis eric oneill breach movie true. Chris cooper and ryan phillippe splendidly deliver that nuance. Sep 04, 2007 oneill is played by ryan phillippe while chris cooper is hanssen, a paranoid malcontent who was both a sexual deviant and a member of the roman catholic sect opus dei.
Published on dec 11, 2010 breach is the suspense thriller based on the true story of robert hanssen, an fbi agent convicted of spying for the. Hes flown in to do some awardsseason press, meet with director spike jonze about a project, and then attend a screening of breach at the aero. Chuck the movieguy interviews chris cooper for the movie breach. Rt chats breach with chris cooper chris cooper, one of our finest screen actors, gets inside the mysterious traitor. Ryan phillippe has just the right gungho determination tempered with a touch of naivete as oneill.
Investigate the real fbi spy robert hanssen and operative eric oneill behind the movie breach. Chris cooper delivers a performance like nobody has ever seen. Cooper won both the academy award and golden globe award for best. Adaptation christopher walton cooper was born in kansas city, missouri, to mary ann walton, a homemaker, and charles sherwood cooper, a. Feb 16, 2007 fbi trainee eric oneill ryan phillippe, left is hand picked to keep an eye on suspected spy robert hanssen chris cooper in breach. Oscarwinner chris cooper has found one of his most intense roles yet. In breach, the fbis clandestine operations to catch the notorious mole in action are unfolded. Cooper commented that breach was the first studio film where theyve considered me the lead actor. Chris cooper and laura linney both give wonderful performances.
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