I love it when Hollywood directors suddenly discover something that the rest of us have known pretty much forever: that the more religious somebody is, the more likely it is that he's a massive hypocrite. Although he isn't gay, FBI agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) falls into the same kind of category as Ted Haggard.

This is the story of how Hanssen was finally caught for being the biggest, most dangerous turncoat in FBI history. It's not a thriller at all, but a character examination and indictment of a certain kind of attitude. On the surface, this film is a simple chase film. Underneath, it's an indictment of religious zealotry.

You see, it's Hanssen's Catholicism that's his undoing. When Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) goes to work for Hanssen, it's the thing that binds them. O'Neill was schooled by Jesuits and this impresses Hanssen and earns his confidence. Hanssen uses his religious zealotry as a cover for his lurid activities - his betrayal of his country, what amounts to the murder of undercover agents, and his pornographic interests, including taping himself and his wife (Kathleen Quinlan) having sex and sharing the tapes with others. If that's not a big, damn analogy for what's ailing the U.S., I don't know what is.

It's only sad that Billy Ray seems to think it's some sort of revelation. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to equate Hanssen's self-righteousness with George Bush's self-righteousness. Hanssen tried to beat everybody within earshot with his religious fervor, yet it masked a bubbling hatred underneath. This is old stuff and it's been around for a long time. It's what makes those of us who aren't religious so damn annoyed at those who are.