Movie Review: The Company You Keep (+trailer)

This is an intriguing cat-and-mouse flick that tries to keep you guessing until the end.

The Robert Redford-directed movie has many things going for it, notably a stellar cast which includes Redford, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Julie Christie, Brendan Gleeson and Shia LaBeouf.

Ben Shepard (LaBeouf) is an arrogant and ambitious newspaper reporter who cracks a major story revealing the role in a terrorist organisation of Jim Grant (Redford), who is wanted for murder and is leading a double life.

Grant goes on the run from FBI - and Shepard, who is desperate to pursue his story - and the chase unravels more secrets than first thought as things come to a dramatic climax.

But it is hard to know who to root for in The Company You Keep.

Shepard is introduced as the protagonist in this movie but it's hard to relate to him and he is simply not likeable.

It makes me wonder if this is deliberate, as some people have an aversion to reporters poking around anyway, and most characters in the movie come to the point where they each have to question their motives concerning idealism and reality.

The movie also pulls back from revealing too much too soon, which in most films works well.

But in this film the storyline was a long time developing.

It was hard to find any attachment to Grant's character early on so, as an audience member, I felt a little in limbo as to whom to care about.

But the movie comes together when more is revealed, offering the chance is to relate to its characters.

This is a refreshing and old-fashioned film taken from Neil Gordon's novel.

While it could be challenging for members of a younger generation unaffected by war or protest to relate to, it remains well worth a watch for a more mature audience.

The Company You Keep

(M) 130 minutes

Rating: 3 / 5