What tipped him off?
In the beginning when Phillipe sneaks in Cooper's office, how did Cooper know he was in there?
shareCooper looked into his office before before he said this. Something must have
been slightly moved.
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MovieChat Forums > Breach (2007) Discussion > What tipped him off?
I think Cooper heard the door bang as Eric rushed out of Cooper's office.
shareThe door was open when Cooper left. When he returns its closed.
shareI am pretty sure it was closed when Cooper left. I saw it on the DVD yesterday and replayed it quite a few times..
shareThe movie people just wanted to make cooper appear to be this all knowing genius spy to add to the suspense.
shareI'm sure Cooper heard the door bang.
FU** TWILIGHT!
that's exactly why i didn't like this movie. Here is this super spy with over twenty years of experience and this young guy keeps lying to him and gets away with it! Come on! I was waiting for some sort of twist the whole time because it didn't seem plausible that Hanssen didn't know about Eric. I mean the pager thing would have even made ME suspicious. I realize it was based on a true story but still, this was truly ridiculous. Great performance by Chris Cooper though.
shareAs you say, this is based on a true story as written by the real Eric O'Neill. So I guess it goes to show that even the most clever, intelligent person is vulnerable. I've written in other threads about why I believe the deceit worked so I won't go into great lengths. But suffice it to say that there was something about Eric that played into Hanssen's weaknesses.
There's a line in the film that has Eric saying to his superiors, "Did you pick me because I'm Catholic?" They deny it, but I can't help but think his Catholicism, along with his lapse of faith and his fledging marriage to a non-Catholic (all catnip to a fanatic like Hanssen), plus his youthful enthusiasm, as well as his sharp intelligence were all factors in both his selection and his ultimate success.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
I think you have a point when it comes to his religion. However, I can't imagine trusting someone just because he/she shares my beliefs. But then again, I'm not religious. Eric's lies seemed thin to me and thought up on the spot, and the pager thing put it over the top. When Hanssen pays the surprise visit he even CATCHES him in a lie, because it was obvious his wife wasn't paging him. Plus the whole time he realizes he's in a fake department, being isolated, so that should make Hanssen even more suspicious of Eric. I haven't read the book though, maybe his lies were well thought out in real life. Anyway, Ryan Philippe doesn't seem smart enough to fool anyone, let alone a master spy. It could have been either bad acting or a bad screenplay.
shareOK, let me elaborate. It's not that they share a religion. It's that Hanssen is a member of Opus Dei and is mandated by his natural inclination to do things in excess and by his membership to try and bring Eric back to the faith. His illusion that he and his wife could be the O'Neill's spiritual leaders helps to obscure any duplicity on Eric's part. Eric comes to use this when he has to talk Hanssen back in the car later in the film. But he puts enough hostile spin on his reaction to Hanssen (also seen in his speech to Hanssen in the woods) that he never seems to be playing Hanssen. That is very clever. Which is one of the pieces of evidence of Eric O'Neill's intelligence. Whatever you believe about Ryan Phillippe personally, and how would you know since I'll bet neither of us know him personally, it's his character we are judging, not him.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
Thank you for your reply. I guess it's possible that Eric was more clever in the movie than I give him credit for. Maybe Phillippe's performance clouded it. And of course I don't know the guy, but I have seen a lot of his movies and I'm not impressed. And I'm not judging him, just his acting. What do you think about the other points i raised?
shareI think Billy Ray wrote a clever, clever script for this film. From the opening scene on we see that Robert Hanssen is spent. He's tired. He can hardly continue. All the years of holding the dichotomy of being a good Catholic Christian and yet betraying his country and his family has taken its toll. For the last ten years he knows that they've been frantically searching for him. (Remember that locked door that Hanssen explains to O'Neill contains a group who has been searching for a mole?) He was even in the original group of people doing the searching.
Now he sees he's slowly being isolated. He's survived so much, outwitted so many, and has such an exaggerated perception of his superiority that he feels protected. But let's face it. The guy was/is insane...bonkers, crazy, looneytunes. His thinking process must have been completely whack. Rather than trying to figure him out, the FBI just decided to manipulate him. Now THAT was clever on their part. Of course that Hanssen got away with it for 20 years says a lot about their lack of efficiency.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of
I can't help but think his Catholicism, along with his lapse of faith and his fledging marriage to a non-Catholic (all catnip to a fanatic like Hanssen), plus his youthful enthusiasm, as well as his sharp intelligence were all factors in both his selection and his ultimate success.
Also, narcissists tend to idealize those who admire them, and to overlook their "flaws," until they disagree with them, and then they devaluate them.. And O'Neil certainly did look up to Hanssen, and took care not to disagree with him. He played him like a lute.
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I thought it was because he left the light on. A little later in the movie, Ryan Phillipe is writing a list of things he's found out so far, and one of them is "He likes the light in his office OFF."
shareOooh, good catch.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
I think part of why O'neill hasn't been burned was that he didn't make up lies, but actually told the truth most of the times. About the fight with his wife, being about him and religion.. all that stuff.
I mean, if you lie you should keep it as close to the truth as possible and be as specific as possible..
"...if you lie you should keep it as close to the truth as possible." That's almost a direct quote from the film's commentary.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
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In the beginning when Phillipe sneaks in Cooper's office, how did Cooper know he was in there?
Because Phillipe is still in there when Cooper gets back, praying to the crucifix on Cooper's wall. Apparently it was the best he could do when he couldn't get out in time.
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That wasn't the scene being referenced, that was later in the movie. The OP is talking about right near the beginning, when Phillipe was back at his desk when Cooper reentered.
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