A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.
An absorbing thriller that favours vivid characters, profound ideas and Old Testament morals over propulsive plotting and set-pieces. With lots of blood.
None of the actors or characters of The Counselor ever seem to exist together, participating in McCarthy's ambitious, florid writing experiment that was probably better as the script they all read before signing on.
Cormac McCarthy’s first screenplay is as bleakly existential as you might expect, but also portentous, posturing, misogynistic and dramatically crackers.
Ridley Scott finally gets to put Cormac McCarthy on the screen. It’s no No Country, but despite its less successful elements is shocking, powerful and — this just in — more gorgeously written than any movie you’ll see this year.
The deeply confusing plot sees him sucked into a drug running scam that doesn’t end prettily for anyone.
The result, given all the talent involved, can only be deemed a grievous disappointment.
Disappointing thriller.
It’s a shame because sometimes there’s nothing better than being dropped into a world in which some effort has to be made to tune into the characters. All The Counsellor has to offer, though, is white noise with pretty pictures.
The Counsellor is a cold, pessimistic film that feels especially unforgiving.
Confused, confusing and thoroughly unsatisfying. Doesn’t even have the good grace to be truly laughable.
All mouth and no trousers.
This self-consciously overcooked existential thriller.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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