The movie's message?
That the CIA is full of idiots? If that's not the message they were trying to get across then oops because that's the story they told.
shareI think it is something of an expose of the "episcopacy," a segment of American society given to government work and how they end up there and how good or at least neutral people become severely morally compromised in government service.
Second it is a character study of Edward Wilson, a microcosm of the above. A well-intended, privileged smart kid that ends up a deputy director of the CIA during its darkest time.
Third, I think it is a fictionalized history of the CIA.
True. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. He's so busy being the good boy, the good Skull and Bones stooge that he ruins his own life, those of his son and wife.
And the payoff? Horrible power as the head of the CIA.
"He who swaps his liberty for the promise of 'security' deserves neither." Ben Franklin
I'm not a member of the episcopacy, but I am a "privileged" WASPy dude that tries to treat people equally, although probably at some level I have some kind of superiority complex to go along with my inferiority complex.
That said, I was pretty shocked by the hubris and chauvinism of "The United States of American, the rest of you are just visiting" comment made by Wilson to Pesci's mobster character. Not sure I have ever encountered an educated, intelligent person that really thought that way, but I suppose they exist. I rather doubt J. J. Angleton thought this way, because his mother was Mexican, but who knows. Donovan was a dirty Mick Catholic (this is sarcasm).
Clearly DeNiro or one of the writers thought this was a common sentiment.
Well stated.
I finally watched this entire (long) film, and I was pretty underwhelmed. Matt Damon was miscast here. How are we supposed to see the central character? Incompetent?
Still there are some great scenes. The LSD scene was pretty great.
As you say, it was a dark time for the CIA, but the film fails to show why. The Soviets were a real and imposing threat.