The film is not what you expect and it ends up leaving you feeling short changed and wanting more.
Ridley Scott. Cormac McCarthy. Michael Fassbender. Penélope Cruz. Cameron Diaz. Javier Bardem. Brad Pitt. Wow. Just hearing all those names in one film and one would be thinking, box office smash, Academy Awards. I know that’s what was going through my mind when this film was announced in pre-production. A financially well off lawyer who represents high rolling drug dealers gets caught up in a deal that could cost him everything – ok, even sounds great. On a side note you may be surprised to hear that Johnny Knoxville’s Bad Grandpa absolutely smashed this opening weekend at the US Box Office by about $25m. Even with an all-star cast and an Academy Award nominated director, if the film is an utterly confusing mess then no one will want to pay to see it.
Fassbender stars as the title character only known as Counselor, who represents drug criminals such as Reiner (Javier Bardem – who needed more screen time) and Westray (Brad Pitt). When the Counselor is offered a deal from the cartel that could set up the future for himself and his fiance Laura (Penélope Cruz) he sees this as the opportunity of a life time. But when he is set up the cartel comes after him and nothing will be the same for the Counselor again.
Now all this sounds like a good film and to be honest it’s not the worst film to come out this year, it can just be very confusing and hard to follow. A reason why this film is being ‘hated’ on is because this is not a film that would appeal to the average movie goer who goes to the multiplex on a Friday or Saturday night. This is a talky crime thriller with a cast that needs a lot more to do. The occasional action is gruesome and well done, but there is too much in between and unfortunately for The Counselor that’s what people want to see more of. The film is not what you expect and it ends up leaving you feeling short changed and wanting more.
Michael Fassbender and Javier Bardem
The acting is a hit and miss, Cameron Diaz is crazy as Reiner’s partner and the scene with her on the windshield of his car will leave you thinking wow and also why. She is absolutely crazy but also a lot of fun to watch. Fassbender becomes a little lost, Bardem needed more and Pitt comes and goes while seeming out of sync to everyone else.
Overall The Counselor looks good and should be good, but it’s only average and there are better films out there to spend your money on.
2/5
Tagged: Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Counselor, Javier Bardem, Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Ridley Scott
