The Recruit is never quite believable, but it's always entertaining. A brisk pace, numerous plot twists (both foraseeable and not), and a scenery-chewing performance by Al Pacino make it a scream to watch. It paints a picture of the CIA that is firmly rooted in movieland rather than something convincing as real life, but that's ok. This is a spy fantasy, not much like James Bond but which abides by the same sort of narrative creed: if it makes a good story, so what if it would never happen?