Film sees new recruit Farrel grow under Pacino's gaze

The Recruit stars Colin Farrell as James Clayton, a computer whizkid who has just topped his class at MIT.

Walter Burke (Al Pacino) is a recruiter for the CIA who thinks James is ideal ‘company’ material.

After he signs up James is sent to The Farm, a CIA training centre, where he and his fellow recruits learn the basics of the spying game — surveillance, combat, lie detectors and target manipulation.

He also falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan), who’s not all that she seems and he has never quite able to trust her.

After his release from The Farm, Burke sends James on a secret mission to stop a traitor from stealing a computer programme called Ice 9 from the CIA. The only problem is that Layla is the traitor and James struggles with his feelings for her and his sense of duty.

Most good spy thrillers have lots of high-tech gadgets and plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing.

The Recruit has both as well as commanding performances from both Farrell and Pacino.

Colin Farrell seems to be growing in stature with every film he makes.

Here he manages to be convincing as both a naïve recruit and hardened spy.

While Pacino yet again delivers the kind of performance that shows he’s still the master.

Action, 15. ****