Ambitious FBI rookie Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is less than thrilled when he's assigned to a new detail: working for and covertly reporting on long-serving agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper). As he gets closer to his grouchy new boss, Eric's confusion increases. Hanssen is certainly a maverick, but a clever, oddly likable one. Why the cloak-and-dagger tactics? Who is Hanssen really, and why does he scare the top brass so? Following up on the promise of his impressive directorial debut Shattered Glass, and drawing exemplary performances from the quietly assured Phillippe and the always magnificent Cooper, writer/director Billy Ray shows a masterful command of his material. A serious, fact-based thriller with tension and intelligence to burn.