The sum total of the film is so limp, banal, and uninspired that, one really has to ask: Why did Landesman take this on in the first place? But further, why did Hanks go through with it on the big screen? Something like this was more cozily housed on cable TV. That's how reductive of a gigantic subject this film is, writes Philip Sheridan.

The Good Shepherd was subtitled in its trailer, “The Untold Story of the Birth of the CIA.” This is a real misnomer, since most of the “untold” actual events are immediately recognizable to anyone who has a cursory knowledge of the history of the CIA. In another sense the subtitle is true since the story it tells is very liberally fictionalized. In that sense, it is untold, writes Philip Sheridan.

Estevez had a huge and magnificent historical subject. For all the liberties he has taken, and for reasons stated above, he didn't do it justice, concludes Philip Sheridan.

The Van Praag audio analysis reveals (at least) thirteen shots, which could not all have come from Sirhan's revolver.

Author Philip Sheridan reviews the film "inspired by" the Mary Meyer story and directed by William Olsson.