The Good Shepherd (film)

The Good Shepherd
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert De Niro
Written by	Eric Roth
Produced by	James G. Robinson Jane Rosenthal Robert De Niro
Starring	Matt Damon Angelina Jolie Alec Baldwin Tammy Blanchard Billy Crudup Keir Dullea Martina Gedeck William Hurt Timothy Hutton Lee Pace Eddie Redmayne John Sessions Oleg Stefan John Turturro Robert De Niro
Cinematography	Robert Richardson
Edited by	Tariq Anwar
Music by	Bruce Fowler Marcelo Zarvos
Production companies	Morgan Creek Productions TriBeCa Productions American Zoetrope
Distributed by	Universal Pictures (North America and select international territories) Morgan Creek International (International)
Release date	December 22, 2006 (2006-12-22)
Running time	167 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$80 million[1]
Box office	$100.3 million

The Good Shepherd is a 2006 American spy film produced and directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, and De Niro, with an extensive supporting cast. Although it is fictional, loosely based on events in the life of James Jesus Angleton, it is advertised as telling the history of the birth of counterintelligence in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Edward Wilson (played by Damon), a senior CIA officer, discovers a mole in his department following the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. The film delves into Wilson's complex life, starting from his college years at Yale University in 1939, his initiation into the Skull and Bones fraternity, and his recruitment into intelligence work during World War II. His personal life is marked by a strained marriage to Margaret "Clover" Russell, played by Jolie, and a series of affairs that underscore the sacrifices and moral compromises inherent in espionage work. The narrative unfolds through a mix of present-day events and flashbacks, exploring the origins of the CIA, Wilson's involvement in key historical events, and the personal toll of a life dedicated to secrecy and intelligence. The film features an ensemble cast including Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Joe Pesci, and John Turturro, among others. "The Good Shepherd" is a fictionalized account of the early days of the CIA, blending historical facts with dramatic elements to explore the complexity of intelligence work, and its impact on individual lives.

The film was released on December 22, 2006, to mixed reviews. It grossed $100 million against an estimated $80 million production budget.