The Breach: Chris Cooper Turns in Oscar Worthy Performance In Top Notch Spy Thriller

Chris Cooper turns in a Oscar worthy performance as turncoat FBI agent Robert Hanseen in the Breach. Hanssen is a number of things. This real life villain is a sexual deviant, religious zealot, and frighteningly chauvinistic. He's also much smarter than everyone around him.

Hanseen was arrested at his Virginia home in February of 2001. Many consider him the most destructive spy in United States history. Over a period of 20 years he gave Russian officials names of 50 spys, Russian traitors and American agents. At least three people were killed as a direct result of his actions. He is believed to have been paid millions in diamonds and cash for his betrayal.

Our story begins as the FBI sets the trap for is capture. They know it's him. He has no clue that they are on to him. If he had any idea he'd bolt and destroy every trace of is treachery.

The first stage of the trap is to lure Hanssen from a comfy pre-retirement post. . He's set up to run a ghost division that will use his computer knowledge and revolutionize the way the FBI stores information. You'd think he'd get the irony but his arrogance prevails.

The second stage is to put a young, cocky, smart agent in training in place as Hanssen's "assistant". Enter Eric O'neil played by Ryan Phillip O'neil is sent to spy on our crafty curmudgeon. And he is a curmudgeon. During one of their first conversation Hanseen instructs O'neil to call him only "Sir" or "Boss". He will call O'neil "Clerk."

Eventually finding ground on faith, family and computers, Hanssen starts to view O'neil as a son. It's often times difficult for O'neil to do is job because of their bond.

Along the way we pick up Eric's tough but tender handler Kate Burroughs(Laura Linney), super duper agent in charge Dan Plesac( Dennis Haybert) and Hanseen's ultra conservative wife, Bonnie(Katleen Quilan). This supporting cast does an excellent job of endearing themselves to the audience while still managing to convey a host of flaws.

There were times I wanted to kiss Cooper. He's just that good. He's nuanced and restrained, plodding and dangerous. You forget that this is indeed a movie, that this really happened and the evil doer actually did get caught.

Phillipe is... another thing. Maybe it has to do with being young or perhaps it has to do with actually looking so young but there are moments where the effort is strained. Thankfully those moments are few and far between. Throughout most of the movie he manages to pull off a solid performance-even next to Cooper and and the always on point Linney.

This was a well crafted spy thriller that worth your eight or ten bucks. It would be delicious if Cooper got an Oscar nod for this one but I wouldn't bet on it.