The Counselor
Rent & Buy
A lawyer finds himself in far over his head when he attempts to get involved in drug trafficking.
What critics thought
Few films of its era split critics as sharply as this one. The majority found Cormac McCarthy's debut original screenplay overwrought and narratively incoherent, a waste of an exceptional cast assembled around a thriller that generates almost no tension. A vocal minority, however, argued that what reads as dysfunction is actually bold, Pinter-esque daring — and that the film may be ahead of its time.
“one is left with a very bleak ending and an only slightly less depressing sense of the waste of a lot of fine talent both behind and in front of the camera”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“his first original script is nearly all dialogue, but it's a lousy story, ineptly constructed and rendered far too difficult to follow”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Director Ridley Scott and screenwriter Cormac McCarthy have fashioned a sexy, sometimes shockingly violent, literate and richly textured tale of the Shakespearean consequences of one man's irrevocable act of avarice”
Richard Roeper·Chicago Sun-Times
“the real star is the script. What this film really is is a Cormac McCarthy audiobook with visuals by Ridley Scott. It's black as night, engrossing and masterful”
Danny Leigh·BBC Film 2013
Genres
Thriller, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
Ridley ScottDirector
Michael FassbenderThe Counselor
Penélope CruzLaura
Cameron DiazMalkina
Javier BardemReiner
Brad PittWestray
Bruno GanzDiamond Dealer
Rosie PerezRuth
Sam SpruellWireman
Toby KebbellTony
Edgar RamírezPriest
Rubén BladesJefe
Natalie DormerBlonde
Daniel PembertonComposer
Cormac McCarthyWriter
Dariusz WolskiCinematographyThe Counselor
A lawyer finds himself in far over his head when he attempts to get involved in drug trafficking.
What critics thought
Few films of its era split critics as sharply as this one. The majority found Cormac McCarthy's debut original screenplay overwrought and narratively incoherent, a waste of an exceptional cast assembled around a thriller that generates almost no tension. A vocal minority, however, argued that what reads as dysfunction is actually bold, Pinter-esque daring — and that the film may be ahead of its time.
“one is left with a very bleak ending and an only slightly less depressing sense of the waste of a lot of fine talent both behind and in front of the camera”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“his first original script is nearly all dialogue, but it's a lousy story, ineptly constructed and rendered far too difficult to follow”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Director Ridley Scott and screenwriter Cormac McCarthy have fashioned a sexy, sometimes shockingly violent, literate and richly textured tale of the Shakespearean consequences of one man's irrevocable act of avarice”
Richard Roeper·Chicago Sun-Times
“the real star is the script. What this film really is is a Cormac McCarthy audiobook with visuals by Ridley Scott. It's black as night, engrossing and masterful”
Danny Leigh·BBC Film 2013
Genres
Thriller, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
Ridley ScottDirectorMichael FassbenderThe CounselorPenélope CruzLauraCameron DiazMalkinaJavier BardemReinerBrad PittWestrayBruno GanzDiamond DealerRosie PerezRuthSam SpruellWiremanToby KebbellTonyEdgar RamírezPriestRubén BladesJefeNatalie DormerBlondeDaniel PembertonComposerCormac McCarthyWriterDariusz WolskiCinematographyRent & Buy