James Clayton (Colin Farrell) might not have the attitude of a typical recruit, but he is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the country – and he's just the person that Walter Burke (Al Pacino) wants in the CIA. James regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, James has to survive the Farm, the CIA's secret training ground, where the veteran Burke teaches him the ropes and the rules of the game. James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan), one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and decides to "wash out," Burke taps him for a special assignment. It soon becomes clear that at The Farm, the CIA's old maxims are true: "trust no one" and "nothing is as it seems."