The Counselor Review

The Counselor

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The Counselor is the film that multiple critics are positing as one of the worst films of the year. This negativity is completely unjustified. While it certainly isn't the Oscar-worthy film that some had predicted and hoped for, The Counselor is a mean, nasty, and original little thriller that brave moviegoers should seek out. 

We never know his name. We only know him as The Counselor (Michael Fassbender). He's a charming and powerful lawyer who is well-respected by those around him. He is ready to marry his beautiful fiancee, Laura (Penelope Cruz). The Counselor decides to take a risk by getting into some illegal business in Mexico that puts his and his fiancee's lives in danger. What he thought would be an easy one-time deal ends up being way more dangerous and complicated than he could have ever imagined.

This is the first screenplay written by acclaimed author Cormac McCarthy, and unfortunately, it shows. While it boasts interesting characters and some sinisterly clever deaths, the screenplay is bogged down by ultra-dense dialogue that is difficult to understand. This film consists of way more conversations than you would expect, with some of them being deeply philosophical and others being on the brink of incoherent. The Counselor has multiple twists and turns that are confusing because the story often lacks direction and meanders to awkward places. However, props must be given to McCarthy for taking risks with a love-it-or-hate-it story that is absolutely anti-Hollywood.

Despite a challenging beast of a script, director Ridley Scott brings his A-game. The Counselor is always stylish, and Scott wows with slick visuals. The ultra-sexy intro is particularly stunning with its intimacy and sensuality. Scott also tends to keep things unpredictable and off-kilter. No matter what is happening -- and even if we don't always understand what's going on -- Scott threads the scenes with a sense of urgency and dread that is palpable. I often found myself on edge because of Scott's smart directorial choices and the brave, unpredictable performances.

Even if everyone hates this film, no one can deny the brilliance of this insanely talented cast. Michael Fassbender makes us feel for a character who is purposely shallow and blank. Fassbender mesmerizes in the beginning, when we aren't exactly aware of who the counselor is and what his intentions are. Then, by the end, we absolutely feel for him. Fassbender acts the hell out of the riveting, emotionally challenging scenes and proves why he is one of the finest actors in Hollywood. Penelope Cruz is entirely lovely and brings a strong sense of gravitas to the insanity at hand. Javier Bardem is a joy to watch and seems like he is having a blast as Reiner, a fun, dicey crime lord. Brad Pitt is in fine form as the middleman between the good and the bad. 

The ultimate standout performance in The Counselor is from Cameron Diaz. This is some of her best work. She is sexy, hilarious, brave, fierce, and occasionally, insanely frightening as Malkina, Reiner's mysterious girlfriend. Malkina is by far the most entertaining and interesting character in the film. You might have heard about a particular controversial, buzz-worthy scene involving Diaz's character and a ferrari. I don't want to give away spoilers for those who don't know what happens, but it is as wild, crude, uproarious, and ridiculous as you might have heard. Diaz tackles the scene with such tremendous bravery and shamelessness. The scene is a contender for my favorite scene in any movie I've seen this year.

While The Counselor might not be the masterpiece that you expected, it's a fine piece of work despite some of its flaws. This is an unapologetic film that asks you to go along for the wild, twisty ride. But here's the real question: Are you up for the journey?