Parents' Guide to

The Good Shepherd

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Thriller is too mature and intense for kids.

Movie R 2006 160 minutes
The Good Shepherd Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

UnionAve
UnionAve Adult
May 15, 2021
age 13+

Dont let others choose whats right for your children

Watch the film and decide for yourself-

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

A complicated, fictionalized version of the birth of the CIA, THE GOOD SHEPHERD centers on CIA operative Edward Wilson (Matt Damon). Director Robert De Niro's film cuts back and forth in time, showing how Edward came to be so dedicated to his job and how he pursues the traitor who spoiled the surprise of 1961's Bay of Pigs invasion. During WWII, Wilson winds up in London working for the Office of Strategic Services. He leaves behind his pregnant wife, Margaret (Angelina Jolie), becomes increasingly involved in his work, and discovers that lying, cheating, and murdering are necessary to protect borders and deceptions, as is the perpetual realigning of affinities. Recruited by CIA founder Bill Sullivan (De Niro), Edward believes that the group is solely (and nobly) interested in American values and identity, even though the group undertakes illegal, violent, racist, and hyper-nationalist operations. His wife complains that his devotion to national security distances him from his family, and indeed, it takes a heavy toll on his relationship with his son.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This complex thriller considers the blindness and other costs that come with being too committed to a job, even one that involves national security. The problem that Edward's chosen profession poses for him is both prosaic and sensational. At one level, the cost of his patriotism is reduced to a common device -- the difficulties between father and son. The film winds tighter and tighter around this relationship. "I never felt safe," Edward Jr. says. "I was always afraid because everything was a secret."

While The Good Shepherd does concede that secret agencies need to keep secrets, it also rejects the slippery, paranoid morality that follows from such a premise.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movies' fascination with espionage. Why are spy films so popular? How much of what we see on screen reflects reality, and how much is glamorized? What do you think a spy's day-to-day life is really like? Families can also discuss the lack of balance between family and career in Edward's life. How does his patriotism blind him to troubles at home and at work? How does the movie characterize the men who serve their country in this secret way? How does Edward and Margaret's social situation (especially their class) dictate and limit their options? What messages does the movie send about father-son relationships?

Movie Details

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