Breach focuses on Eric and Hanssen's tight, tense association, as each suffers differently for the lies he's forced to tell. Parallel investigations and multiple layers of deceit are galvanized by smart, taut, mostly understated performances. Yet
Breach can't get around the mystery that Hanssen presents. Much as Eric embodies a stalwart, if fretful, morality, Hanssen remains a cipher, apparently untroubled by his lies and hypocrisies. Though Hanssen disdains most FBI regulations, he's adapted well to what he calls the Bureau's "gun culture." And though Eric mocks Hanssen's stiffness, he's also impressed by his sensitivity and religious faith.
Eric's own betrayals appear to be heroic in a traditional sense, yet he feels terrible about his choices. Breach uses some predictable plot structures, including speedy crosscutting during a scene in which Eric must delay Hanssen's return to the office, a sensational showdown in the dark woods, and heavy-handed religious iconography to pass judgment on Hanssen. If only the movie had trusted Cooper's subtle performance, allowing that to convey the suspense.