REEL FANS:Driven by performance

EDITOR’S NOTE: A Daily Pilot staffer went to the Edwards Big Newport to get moviegoers’ opinions of “The Good Shepherd,” starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, and Robert DeNiro. DeNiro also directed the movie.

The formation of the Office of Strategic Services, predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency, is the backdrop for this drama about good versus evil, loyalty, betrayal and “family values.”

Edward Wilson (Damon) is a Yale graduate, member of the Skull and Bones Society, and a moral and patriotic citizen when he is recruited for a position the organization being formed to protect the United States as it enters the Cold War.

Wilson’s sacrifices for his country alienate his wife (Jolie) and son. As he becomes more and more entrenched in the secret life he’s forced to lead, he realizes that no one can be trusted, and his own conscience and ideals are called into question and ultimately challenged.

“I t was about what I expected, because I had read quite a bit about it. I thought Matt Damon did an incredible job acting — it was a little slower than I thought it was going to be, but the end was a good payoff. They [the actors] were all great. DeNiro was fun to watch — he always is — and I understand that he’s an incredible director, so it was interesting to see what he did with Matt Damon. You had to pay attention, but I followed the story fine. I’d give Matt a big A — all the acting was great, it was just slow.”

PRISCILLA RIGGS REINHARDT

Costa Mesa

“I t wasn’t what I expected — I thought it was a little bit dry. I was expecting a little more action, but the acting was tremendous in it. I thought it started to get a little lengthy, but it was OK. It was a good story, and I’m glad I saw it, but it wasn’t one of my favorites.”

JOHN REINHARDT

Costa Mesa

“I liked it. I thought the acting was great — I thought the cast was phenomenal. I loved that there were a lot of big-name actors in it.

“I would say that the story was good — it was interesting — but it was a little long for me. I could see though, that it needed a lot of the background in order to get to the ending — the combination of what happened to how the CIA was formed. Overall, I generally liked it — the acting is what carried it for me. I actually thought it [the plot] was predictable at times, and I’m not even very good at predicting stuff, but I followed it and it was enjoyable and entertaining.”

ETHNEA PORTER

Costa Mesa

“I thought it was really good. I liked the length of it — I didn’t think it was too long. I was expecting it to be more of an action type of movie, and I’m actually glad it wasn’t. It was more of a character-driven movie, and I liked the struggles and choices of the Matt Damon character. I also liked the interwoven, different stories that were going on.”

BRIGGS PORTER

Costa Mesa

“I thought the movie was very well developed. It really showed what a really lonely life people in that situation lead — where he [Damon’s character] couldn’t trust anybody and nobody really seemed to trust him. I thought that the length of the movie was great. I was thinking that it would be too long, but it was fine. The directing and the acting were just phenomenal — everybody was very well cast. I also would recommend it to other people to go and see.”

JUDY HATCHER

Irvine