Sometimes when you see a new film poster the level of acting talent involved intrigues you straight away. You look closer and see that the film has a legendary director and recognised writer. Your feel safe in the knowledge that with this film nothing could go wrong.
Sadly, The Counsellor starring Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javiar Bardem, Brad Pitt and directed by Ridley Scott is proof that no amount of talent can conquer a truly awful script.
Directed by world renowned film maker Ridley Scott (famed for Alien and Gladiator) and with a screenplay written by novelist Corman McCarthy (who had previously penned No Country for Old Men); both director and screenwriter have worked in the thriller genre before.
Despite the status as a thriller there is no build up of tension or suspense, mainly due to the fact that the film is so dialogue heavy. This wouldn't be an issue if the dialogue was good but its lacklustre at best. It aims to sound intelligent and meaningful instead of being so. Rarely does it actually move the plot forward and actually halts the action of the film. The long periods of dialogue about abstract things becomes frustrating soon into the film. Despite the plot centring around drug trafficking and eventually revenge, its a boring story. It’s too convoluted to ever really build any momentum or pace. It doesn’t use any of it potentially thrilling subject material.
The film does indeed feature some of the best acting talent around. All the key players are great actors in their own right with varied roles under their belts. But with such poor material, none of them are interesting. None of the actors ability is used to full affect on screen despite all giving so much to the delivery of their lines.
Michael Fassbender plays The Counsellor of the title. The irony of his character having no name reflects his lack of identity on screen. Never does he display any real hint of a personality with the character. Michael Fassbender is indeed a wonderful actor but here his lack of development. The emphasis on his appearance and accessories means that his is a dull uncharismatic performance. You don’t care about the character when he makes bad decisions and you care even less when those decisions come back upon him.
Javier Bardem plays the flamboyant Reiner. Despite Reiner having longer screen time than other characters you never really know him. His role in the film is just to talk to the Counsellor. The pairs dialogue has no substance and only occasionally moves the plot forward. The film would be almost the same even with the removal of his character which begs the question what is his purpose?
Brad Pitt is one of the less offensive performances. Pitt tries desperately to channel his 'Tyler Durden' Fight Club character with no avail. Westray is perceived to be a character with a deeper understanding for the consequences of his actions but this is never fully realised on screen. Pitt is charming and displays some charisma with the character but he’s still two dimensional. This is no reflection on Pitt as an actor but with no real development or point his performance is flat.
There is something truly unsavoury about the way the film portrays women. The two central leads are portrayed in an almost Hitchcock femme fatal vs the virginal girl next door scenario. All the other females are merely accessories to men or used to seduce them. The film also includes the most ridiculous sex scene involving Diaz’s character and a Ferrari car. This misogynistic undertone only makes what would have been a boring cinema experience all the more frustrating.
Flashy, extravagant, boring and unintelligent. A complete disaster of a film especially when you consider the work Ridley Scott usually produces. The real tragedy with this is the level of ability that has been wasted on such a trivial piece of work. The cast, director and screen writer prove that no amount of talent or good track records can make a bad film appealing. If G.I. Jane wasn’t proof enough that Ridley Scott isn’t perfect then this should certainly do the trick.
1 Star
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