MOVIE REVIEW - The Counselor

A lot has been made about the star-studded cast and big time producers of the new drug-crime thriller, The Counselor. 

The Counselor stars Michale Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Brad Pitt.   This was also directed by Ridley Scott. A dream team for sure.  In short what this movie is, is a story of people getting involved in things they have no business getting into, with dire concsequences.

The Counselor (Fassbender) is a young lawyer in El Paso Texas who is greedy, arrogant and amazingly, almost laughingly naive.   He, against a ton of advice not to, decides to go wrong and enter into the illegal drug world with his biggest client (Bardem).   He is also working with another long time crook (Pitt), all while falling in love with Laura (Cruz).  He has a lot going on, and gets in so far over his head, he has a hard time coming to terms that once in,  he can never get out.

A shipment of 21 million dollars of Mexican Cartel drug money is being shipped to the U.S. to finance business fronts to move more drugs.   This truck then is stolen by other horrible people, and the theft is connected to The Counselor, and his partners. Although they actually had nothing to do with it.  They all soon learn that the drug cartel is a ruthless, terrible bunch that know NO bounds at all.  And they want their money back, and they want revenge.  And more. 

This is a very intense, and very graphic movie that pulls no punches.  This is refreshing in some regards.  Although this is very violent sometimes, and exceedingly brutal in others, this is honest movie making.   This is not a special effects fest, or a watered down movie to keep a PG-13 rating.  This movie is highly adult, and has a story to tell you have not seen before.  This is well written, brilliantly acted and presented in an in your face fashion.  

This movie also shows the horrible underbelly of the worst criminals on Earth.  You will be astounded at what they are capable of, and how brutal they can be.  One of the great things about this movie is, is that you know when our hero enters this world it will not end well.   But, you have no idea what kid of torment they are capable of even though they spend a lot of time preparing you for it. It still takes your breath away.  This is exciting, and paced very well, with a story that is placed squarely in the cross hairs of the world we live in today.

The cast is worth talking about.  Bardem is quite good as the affable, but lousy guy named Reiner.  Pitt is strong in his small but central role.  And Diaz, at times appears to be over matched by the cast around her, she overall holds her own in her role of of Malkina, a ruthless complicated woman "in love" love with Reiner.  Supporting cast is strong.

The Counselor.  This is certainly not for everyone. But if you are willing to go in, unlike the movie characters, you can get out.   Good, not great.