The Good Shepherd

Play trailer

The Good Shepherd

R

Released Dec 22, 2006

2h 48m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

56%

Tomatometer

172 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Discreet, idealistic and intensely loyal, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) finds that service in the OSS and later as a founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency is the perfect career for a man of his talents. His methods become standard operating procedure for the CIA while he combats his counterparts in the KGB. But, as the country slips deeper into the Cold War, Edward finds that dedication to duty above family has a price.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Though ambitious and confidently directed by Robert De Niro, The Good Shepherd is ultimately a tedious drama that holds few surprises and succumbs to self-seriousness.

Read Critics Reviews

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Seems thoroughly conflicted about whether it actually buys what it's selling.

Rated: C+

Jun 27, 2007

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

UGO

In a mystery worthy of the CIA, The Good Shepherd ends up being both too long and too short.

Mar 24, 2007

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

Not a film everyone will like. But those who do will appreciate De Niro's insistence on accurate detail.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 23, 2007

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

The more that Edward loses any semblance of humanity—which Damon expertly captures in the stillest, most internalized performance of his career—the more he becomes a representation of America itself.

Rated: 9/10

Sep 22, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Methodical in its style and intelligent in its execution.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 13, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Like the very best slow-burn spy games of John le Carre.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 21, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

A well constructed intrigue, spanning the psuedo intellectuals from Harvard's secret society pretending to be elite patriots, to the founding of the CIA, their role in the Bay of Pigs and the interactions between the Russians and USA during the cold war. I agree that it goes slow, but that was the nature of the cold war.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/25

Full Review

D G

The timeline jumps around but every one still looks the same and they dont explain whats going on and we were just scratching our heads the whole movie and then gave up.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

Full Review

Mark H

I take great offense at pretentious, totally made-up, fully fictional films that nonetheless advertise themselves as being part of history. This is one of those films. And it's nothing but used toilet paper.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

Full Review

Kyle J

Do not waste your time. If you do start watching this movie, FAIR WARNING: it does not get better, EVER.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

Full Review

DUSTIN M

I rewatched this as a 45 year old man with my son in mind and see the flow of this movie so well executed in the outline the message that loose lips sink ships boys! (boy>Harvard>cia>steering the USA towards democracy on the back bone of Trust as the lesson in this movie.)I think it should be used as a MEANS to educate the youth about why American voters are trying prevent foreign and domestic adversaries from stealing your country.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

Full Review

Michael B

This was released in 2006 but could (and should) have been made today. The bad reviews then most likely were because reviewers and viewers couldn't believe our government could be so corrupt. It was and is.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Robert De Niro

Director

Matt Damon

Edward Wilson

Angelina Jolie

Clover

Alec Baldwin

Sam Murach

Tammy Blanchard

Laura

Billy Crudup

Arch Cummings

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Munich

79%

83%

Munich

Watchlist

Syriana

72%

67%

Syriana

Watchlist

Civic Duty

56%

33%

Civic Duty

Watchlist

Scenes of the Crime

50%

12%

Scenes of the Crime

Watchlist

Deception

10%

31%

Deception

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Discreet, idealistic and intensely loyal, Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) finds that service in the OSS and later as a founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency is the perfect career for a man of his talents. His methods become standard operating procedure for the CIA while he combats his counterparts in the KGB. But, as the country slips deeper into the Cold War, Edward finds that dedication to duty above family has a price.

Director: Robert De Niro
Producer: Robert De Niro, James G. Robinson, Jane Rosenthal
Screenwriter: Eric Roth
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: American Zoetrope, Universal Pictures, Morgan Creek Productions, Tribeca Productions
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $59.9M
Runtime: 2h 48m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now