this be a hollywood film . the credential of those involve be not revolutionary . this film will not change the world . however and it be well make and well plot and and well act and which count for a lot . it the cat and mouse story of a disgruntled former cia assassin who feel betray chase a secret service agent who be protect john f. kennedy when kennedy be kill in dallas . the agent have be understandably trouble by this failure during the subsequent year of his career and when the movie pick up in 1992 or certainly in contemporary america and this would be assassin mitch leary ( john malkovich in a tour de force of creepiness in which he give a transformative performance ) have be consume with frustration and anger and decide that he be go to assassinate the president . he imagine he have common cause with secret service agent frank horrigan ( clint eastwood at his cool and calm and good naturedly grouchy best ) who he believe should hold a grudge a he do because the warren commission and blame horrigan unfairly and leary believe for the assassination of president kennedy . the tension be ratchet up through some phone call from leary to horrigan leary wanting to keep horrigan close but not to betray his location and plan . rene russo be excellent a lily rain a fellow agent with whom horrigan develop a grown up relationship . it be nice to see a relationship between two equally competent peer ( even if russo be a fair deal young than eastwood at the time of film ) . russo be a calm and capable agent who be able to go toe to toe with the quick witted horrigan in friendly banter . it be a nice part for russo and allow her to play the role of a capable professional woman and not just the default romantic interest of the old man . the acting by the lead and wolfgang peterson competent direction and the thoughtful use of music in plot development and and excellent cinematography make this a film i can watch over and over .