Film Review: "The Counselor" (2013).

Lines such as "I suspect that we are ill-formed for the path we have chosen. Ill-formed and ill-prepared. We would like to draw a veil over all the blood and terror that have brought us to this place. It is our faintness of heart that would close our eyes to all of that, but in so doing it makes of it our destiny... But nothing is crueler than a coward, and the slaughter to come is probably beyond our imagining.” Describe perfectly the new Ridley Scott/Cormac McCarthy film, The Counselor. This American thriller film directed by Ridley Scott, from the first original film screenplay by Cormac McCarthy. The plot revolves around a lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.

On January 18, 2012, it was reported that novelist Cormac McCarthy had sold his first spec script, The Counselor, to Nick Wechsler, Paula Mae Schwartz, and Steve Schwartz, who had previously produced the film adaptation of McCarthy's novel The Road. On January 31, it was reported that The Counselor would be Ridley Scott’s next film after Prometheus (2012). On February 9, it was confirmed that Scott would direct. Principal photography began on July 27, 2012 in London. As well as in Spain and the United States. However, on August 20, 2012, Scott halted production due to his brother Tony Scott's death. He canceled that week's shoot in order to travel to Los Angeles to be with his brother's family. Scott returned to London to resume production on September 3.

The film stars Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt. Fassbender gave a brilliantly emotional performance as the title character. He epitomizes the film's thematic idea of greed and its eventual slow downward spiral. Cruz gave a fantastic performance as the counselor's fiancé, Laura. Even though I felt Cruz gave a fantastic performance, I felt that an actual American actress such as Natalie Portman (who was originally cast but dropped out) would have been more suitable. Since the character of Laura is American. I also felt that her chemistry with Fassbender was not strong and believable. Diaz gave a terrific and cold performance as Malkina, a malicious woman who lacks moral empathy. However, like Cruz's casting, I felt that the casting of Diaz was not right as well. I would have gone with someone who was actually either from Barbados (which was where she came from in the film) or Buenos Aires, Argentina (which was suggested in the original screenplay). Bardem gave a brilliant performance as Reiner, a charismatic entrepreneur by day and an underground drug kingpin by night. Lastly, Pitt gave an incredible performance as Westray, a womanizing, charismatic middleman and a friend of Reiner's who meets with the Counselor to develop the deal.

Its plot is sometimes hard to swallow, but some fine acting and director Ridley Scott's stylish visual flair makes The Counselor an engaging crime thriller. However, there's nothing in this film that we haven't seen in many other movies.

Simon says The Counselor receives:

Also, see my review for Prometheus.