The Falcon and the snowman

A seminary drop out and aimless youth, Christopher Boyce (Timothy Hutton) is an average American who commences work at RTX as a sensitive document handler. Chris is quickly earmarked for something significant, working with the CIA in monitoring special projects. Occasionally he also intercepts misrouted secret mail. Disillusioned with the deceptions he comes across, Chris enlists the help of his (originally reluctant) drug dealing best friend Andrew Daulton Lee (Sean Penn) to act as go between in selling secrets to the Russian KGB. Lee’s dealings with the KGB are mainly with a Russian spy (David Suchet) who doesn’t underestimate the naivete of the people he is dealing with and is quick to raise the stakes in what he’s willing to pay for. Lee, high on his addiction to crack and being flush with money to support his habit, attempts to subvert the exchanges to his advantage and is liberal in sharing their secret with all and sundry - jeopardising his friendship and their discovery. Based on a true story and set against a backdrop of Nixon’s impeachment, the film has been read as a metaphor for the disillusion felt throughout America in the 1970s and the search for meaning in a time of Vietnam, the Cold War and political mistrust, balanced against advances in space exploration and artistic and sexual freedom. Cast also includes Pat Hingle, Joyce Van Patten and Lori Singer.