The November Man: 'Pierce Brosnan's James Bond sheen is fading'

In case you haven't noticed, government agents are getting older: Liam Neeson in the "Taken" series is about to throw in the towel and even Matt Damon (nee Jason Bourne) is moving to another studio to freshen up his image. Now, Pierce Brosnan — whose James Bond sheen is fading — stars in "The November Man," a sprawling, rambunctious story about an ex-CIA operative called back into the game to rescue an old girlfriend from the clutches of evil Russians and, in the process, prevent a former protege (Luke Bracey) from doing further damage.

Back in the 20th century, agents' missions revolved around protecting free enterprise and Western civilization, but now they are taking care of girlfriends and settling feuds. "The November Man" is no exception, as agent Devereaux (Brosnan) guns down just about anyone with a Russian passport, all in the name of avenging an ex-lover.

On the one hand, you can say that 60-something Brosnan is young for his age, but he seems to be straining on-screen. It's different for guys like Woody Allen, who glided from permanent middle-age to undisputed seniority. But Brosnan has based his career on a gorgeous suaveness, and now it's hard to back out.