As ‘Good’ as it gets

It’s James Bond straight up: No babe’s cleavage shaken or Aston Martins steered.

The epic, fascinating “The Good Shepherd” tells the real hard-boiled story of the 20th-century spy game. But, unfortunately, it may not capture the public’s imagination — and has already been snubbed in some early awards season announcements — for the same reason that it is so effective. As directed and produced by Robert De Niro and anchored by Matt Damon as the symbol of the American intelligence community in its formative years, the docudrama and its lead performance work in a retrained, de-glamorized style that mirrors the manner of the bloodless wonks who have really been the top dogs in international espionage.