Thoughts on the Film Breach

Late this afternoon, I ran through the different Sky Cable channels to which we are subscribed and came across the show "Breach" on HBO. The film caught my interest, making me eventually watch it to its end. The notes given at the end of the movie, along with some research done after watching the film, showed that the film was based on a true story of an FBI agent convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for more than two decades and a man who gained his trust and brought about his downfall.

Robert Hanssen was portrayed by Chris Cooper as a senior agent who was publicly a devout Catholic but who had some dark secrets within him, while Eric O'Neill was portrayed by Ryan Phillippe as a young FBI employee, a lapsed Catholic, who was assigned to work undercover as a clerk to Hanssen.

Their common religious affiliation was perhaps one of what made Hanssen trust O'Neill who found his job of spying on Hanssen difficult because the senior agent had somehow become a friend and a mentor to him. In particular, Hanssen was able to give good insights and good pieces of advice to O'Neill. Moreover, he urged Eric and his wife to be regular churchgoers. In the end, however, it was proven that Hanssen was indeed a double agent, and he was eventually arrested with the help of evidence gathered by Eric O'Neill and traps set with his help.

The film was able to give me some insights on religious affiliations of people and on the morality of the human person. First, it is quite possible that people are attracted to another by virtue of similarities in religious affiliations. Second, it is possible for a seemingly respectable man known to be very religious to live a double life and have some underground, illegal and immoral activities. In the case of Robert Hanssen, he seemed to be quite respectable for Eric O'Neill who saw in the person of the senior agent, who could only be called "sir" or "boss", a mentor and a role model.

Also important is the fact that people who live immoral lives can also help others. In the case of Robert Hanssen, he did indirectly brought about the dead of some countrymen with the help of the information he passed on to the Russians. He also had some immoral sexual activities. Yet, he was able to help Eric O'Neill develop his personality not only because of the challenge for Eric to lie to someone he had learned to respect, but also because of the ideas he shares with Eric O'Neall. Moreover, he had also urged Eric to go to Mass, which, unfortunately, Eric seemed to have done only for the sake of gaining Hanssen's trust more for his case.

It seemed though that the arrest of Hanssen not only is a loss to the senior agent, but also had an impact on the young agent who eventually left the agency citing the toll the case had taken on his marriage. I believe, though, that his growing mentor-student relationship with Robert Hassen had probably contributed to his desire to resign.

Personally, I find Eric O'Neall a brave and courageous man for in spite of his growing relationship with the senior agent, he was able to help in arresting the worst double agent in the FBI, and see to the end of the work given to him as an undercover spying on this senior agent.

Strength of character, courage, faith, patriotism, betrayal, inconsistency of true and public selves... These are the themes in the film that make it worth watching.