The Counsellor

There’s some much wrong with this film I don’t where to begin. Perhaps a quick summation of the plot (of which there is little) would help. Ridley Scott’s new film has Michael Fassbender as a lawyer (though referred to as the eponymous title throughout the film) who is persuaded to take part in a drug deal by local kingpin (Javier Bardem). When things go awry, the Counsellor finds himself on the run as the bodies begin to pile up. Scott’s film boasts some serious pedigree what with him calling the shots, a screenplay by Cormac McCarthy, a cool trailer and a one sheet that screams the actor’s surnames. However all this does is underline what a monumental waste of talent the final production is. The main blame lies at the feet (well fingers I suppose) of McCarthy. This is the first actual script he has written directly for a film and it’s basically endless scenes of (unbelievable) dialogue which virtually none of the actors look comfortable delivering. On that front, there’s some serious mis-casting in this film. Bardem never convinces as the zany drug lord (not helped by his silly hair, get up and what appears to be a mild trace of lipstick in some scenes), Brad Pitt (who appears to have been at the pies) pops up with a distracted performance and Penelope Cruz is no more than window dressing. Worst of the lot though is Cameron Diaz. Whoever thought she would make a convincing callous queen bitch of the underworld must have been squirming in their seat at the preview screenings, though things are hardly helped by the stupidest scene of the year where her character has sex with a car windshield. Yes, you read that correctly. As for Fassbender, his performance is perfunctory enough but he also suffers script wise. His character is meant to be the central point of the film, but as he has no back story it’s hard to relate as to why he becomes such a quivering wreck with poor decision making as soon as the proverbial hits the wall. Surely he must have had some nous to get to the position he was in in the first place is such a dangerous industry? (though an amusing slip up on the continuity front involving a mobile phone suggests maybe he has unforeseen powers). Making a film work which is full of unlikable characters is always one of the most difficult aspects of film making and Scott can’t pull it off here. I don’t know either way, but surely the tragic death of brother Tony during the shooting of this couldn’t have helped matters. Overall this is a cold soulless film with little redeeming features. Apart from a few decent one liners, Toby Kebbell popping up with teeth so white you’ll need sunglasses to get through his short cameo and a spectacularly gory death of one of the main characters there is virtually no reason to see this film. Ever. Rating: 2/10.