Unfortunately, as he performs the acting equivalent of triple backflips, Cranston isn't given much of a safety net from the script or direction.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
At times, The Infiltrator feels like a movie we’ve seen before, but deft performances and Furman’s sharp sense of the era transform it into an engrossing drama.
Consequence of Sound by Collin Brennan
Furman’s film paints in various shades of gray as opposed to the blacks and whites typical to this genre, and for that he and Cranston deserve praise.
Slant Magazine by Elise Nakhnikian
Its clunky incidents of exposition leave us with no real understanding of what anyone is thinking or feeling.
New York Daily News by Joe Dziemianowicz
The movie rises thanks to an ace in the hole: Bryan Cranston, whose stirring star turn hooks us completely.
Bryan Cranston gives the most authentic and lived-in performance as an agent pretending to be a criminal that I have ever seen.
When all that’s taken into account, The Infiltrator feels like a TV mini series squished into two hours, with the budget, supporting cast and period piece compromises to match.
The Hollywood Reporter by Sheri Linden
Cranston turns every moment of duplicity, which is to say nearly every scene of The Infiltrator, into an emotionally textured high-wire act.
Tampa Bay Times by Steve Persall
The Infiltrator is an evocative crime drama, anchored by Cranston's gift for playing internal conflict with wordless expression and that deep, clinched voice.
Screen International by Tim Grierson
A moderately engaging thriller that coasts along without ever evolving into the more riveting character study it has the potential to be.