 The tumultuous early history of one of the most covert and powerful government agencies in the world is viewed through the prism of one man's life in the espionage thriller "The Good Shepherd," starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, directed by Robert De Niro.
James Wilson (Matt Damon) understands the value of secrecy, discretion and commitment to honor, which have been embedded in his soul since childhood, when he was the sole witness to his father's suicide. As an eager, optimistic student at Yale, he is recruited to join the sacrosanct Skull and Bones fraternity, a brotherhood and breeding ground for future world leaders. Wilson's acute mind, spotless reputation and sincere belief in the American way of life render him a prime candidate for a career in intelligence, and he is soon recruited to work for the CIA during its WWII infancy.
While working within the very heart of an organization where duplicity is required and nothing is taken at face value, James' idealism is soon replaced by a growing suspicious nature, reflective of a world settling into the long paranoia of the Cold War. As his methods are adopted as standard operating procedure, Wilson develops into one of the Agency's veteran operatives, all the while becoming more firmly entrenched in his mistrust of everyone. His myopic dedication to his work comes at an ever-increasing price and eventually forces him to sacrifice everything in pursuit of his job, costing him his innocence and, finally, his family as well.
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 The Good Shepherd
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