The Counselor Reviews

Unlike others, I would say it was a nice movie from Ridley Scott. Certainly not a masterpiece, but I truly enjoyed it. For his capability this movie was a below par, that's what everyone meant. As for the theme of the story, it was a phenomenal, but the screenplay is what failed very badly. To me, some of the scenes in the movie were impressive, enough to stick around the end. As has been a gangster related subject, Midas touch lacks and surprises how a great director make it slip away.

Handling a tough situation, following the instinct and the facing outcome of the final result is what the movie to say in a one liner. Obviously, roles were perfectly distributed to the respective cast by the filmmakers and they had given their best as well. So no blame game for the movie's fall in that matter. In my perception it was the dull moments in the movie that acquire more than the best parts. When it was overhauled to build the story and develop characters, never showed signs of recovery.

As I am a movie maniac, after seeing a movie, I always think of a sequel to follow only if it was a good one, or I pray for no sequel if it was terrible. I thought the same about this movie as well, after seeing the way it ended. I am now curious what if a sequel makes the way and impacts better than this. Because in the history, so many sequels had excelled than the previous movies. Whatever, I respect this film, not because of the director or actors, but like everyone says it should have been little better in a few areas, that's all. A movie fanatic sees the effort and appreciate it even it was not that good, but a critic sees only flaws and criticise as usual.

6/10

Honestly, this is a weird movie. Basically, before its release, it was actually one of the most highly anticipated features to be released in 2013. Indeed, it was the first screenplay written by Cormac McCarthy and, after many directors fought to get this story, Ridley Scott was the chosen one and many, including myself, were expecting something pretty awesome. Unfortunately, when it was released, it turned out to be a massive commercial and critical flop and many thought it might even be one of the worst movies of the year. Anyway, after all this, I finally watched the damned thing and, I have to agree, it is not good. Sure, I don't think it was really awful but it was certainly really weak. Above all, surprisingly, I thought it was actually poorly written in my opinion or maybe poorly edited. I mean, the whole story was actually pretty straightforward, it was a basically a drug deal gone wrong but, for some rather dubious reasons, they turned this tale into something completely murky composed of some very loosely connected scenes with many familiar faces coming for one scene or two. On top of that, none of the characters had some genuine dialogues, they all kept speaking in riddles throughout the whole thing, again for no good reason. At least, there was a solid cast and they did what they could with the material (even Cameron Diaz was not that bad in my opinion) but this flick was just hopeless from the start and I don't think it is really worth a look.

A good Ridley Scott in years. Dialogues are a bit abstract and affected but they have to pose a theory on the extrme narcoviolence in Mexico. As Brad Pitt says to Fassbender, all the the killings and decapitations are to keep the cartel's image. They point to you, the one who threats them or deceives them. The pain of Fassbender is a tragedy beyond the thriller.

This movie was a huge disappointment. To come from such a great director is lunacy! How could the great Ridley Scott be involved with this boring useless movie. He even directed it sadly. The cast is amazing which is also sad because it really hurts their images. To see Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, and Brad Pitt tells us that they really thought Ridley Scott had something here. Don't let the big names fool you. This movie makes no sense, it's boring, it's weird, and just really has no coherent plot.

What was with Cameron Diaz having "sex" with a car anyways? That was just weird and awkward. Although I do say she is quite flexible, but that could have been a double. Also how can you play a sexy sexual character without even showing some skin? Even Brad Pitt's character just seems totally useless and out of place. Nothing in this damn plot is coherent or anything! A lot of nothing happens through most of the movie. John Leguizamo shows up randomly and then just disappears like useless fodder. Come on Ridley Scott what are you doing you are better than this! This film is not interesting nor compelling. This movie really made me upset and as I am writing this review I am getting angrier by the second. Do not give this movie a chance as you will only think that Ridley Scott has already hit his peak and will end up another M. Night. Just an example as I still have faith in the director so let's just hope he doesn't really end up that way. Skip this one guys it ain't worth it I promise.

WARNING: This review will contain some profanity, so don't read if you're easily offended by cursing.

I have A LOT to say about this waste of cinema! I was highly anticipating this piece of shit when I saw the trailer for this movie and saw that RIDLEY FUCKING SCOTT was directing this abomination. It was number 2 on my Most Anticipated Movies of 2013 which is actually appropriate because this film is a bunch of "number 2." While Grown Ups 2 was originally the worst movie of the year, this one tops Grown Ups 2 because while it was a god-awful movie, I had no expectations for it.

The main problem with this movie is the dialogue. I have seen many movies with bad dialogue, but this movie might have the worst dialogue ever in a movie. The movie starts with Penelope Cruz and Michael Fassbender talking about finger-fucking and taking part in a poorly-made sex scene. The dialogue in that scene is so poorly written that I had no hope for this movie. The sex in this movie is about as sexy as Sarah Jessica Parker trying to seduce an iguana.

The talent in this movie was wasted wasted WASTED!!! With the exception of Cameron Diaz the acting wasn't bad, but the actors just didn't look like they were interested in the movie at all.



The way this movie was advertised was misleading as fuck. The trailer made it look like it was going to be a gritty crime movie, but the tone of this movie wasn't that dark and it was just a talky movie. Now I don't mind dialogue-heavy movies. Some of my favorite movies are talky, but when the dialogue is horrible, the movie just feels like a huge chore to watch.

Almost an hour and a half into the movie when we finally get a shoot-out scene, it is too short, not suspenseful and the blood spurting effects are faker than a reality show.

This could've been a great movie, but it is ruined by the fucking awful dialogue, waste of talent and the misleading advertising. They also end this shitty movie with the shittiest ending they can think of. I have never felt so let down by a movie! This might even be the worst movie I've ever seen because it is that fucking bad!!!

Fuck this movie! Fuck the writing! Fuck the advertising! Fuck the waste of talent! Fuck 2013 for being a disappointing year for movies and fuck me for anticipating this piece of shit!!!

"The truth has no temperature."

A number of Cormac McCarthy's novels have been adapted as motion pictures in the past decade or so, most notably by the Coen Brothers for 2007's Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men. But 2013's The Counselor finds McCarthy as a screenwriter, producing his first original work written directly for the big screen. Suffice it to say, the resulting film is full of the author's idiosyncrasies; The Counselor is a dark story inhabited by unpleasant, duplicitous characters. It was appropriate material for director Ridley Scott to sink his teeth into, giving vivid life to the unsettling situations dreamed up by McCarthy. It's a fairly solid effort with moments of greatness, but it's somewhat dead around the eyes, in need of a spark to generate a truly riveting viewing experience.

A lawyer who's fallen on hard financial times, the Counselor (Michael Fassbender) seeks to join a drug deal alongside Reiner (Javier Bardem) and Westray (Brad Pitt). However, the deal goes south when the shipment is hijacked by unknown armed enforcers, and suspicion falls on the Counselor. Concerned for both himself and his loving fiancée Laura (Penelope Cruz), the Counselor becomes overwhelmed with panic, hoping to negotiate a deal with the men who are trying to kill him.

The story of The Counselor is dense and intricate, eventually devolving into a convoluted mess of half-explanations, vague motives and double-crosses. It's simply hard to discern who's doing what – the Counselor's actual role in the drug deal remains vague, for instance. Consequently, it feels as if fragments of the narrative are missing (especially at the beginning of the story), and it doesn't help that some character actions stick out as odd. For example, the Counselor uses a stranger's phone to call his fiancée in fear of his mobile being traced. But later, he uses a known associate's phone to set up a meeting with Laura, which seems careless since he knows that people are watching him and might be listening to the call. Nevertheless, McCarthy's screenplay benefits from some real positives, most notably in the borderline poetic dialogue. The conversations between characters sizzle with intelligence, and there's more sophistication on hand here than in usual blockbusters. There are a number of scenes that stand out, especially a strange vignette in which Reiner casually describes an incident involving Malkina (Cameron Diaz) literally having sex with his car.

Scott brings to the project his usual proclivity for solid visuals and deliberate pacing. This is a handsome picture that excels in terms of composition and all-round production values, and Scott doesn't baulk from staging viciously violent sequences from time to time. Indeed, there is gunplay and decapitations, accentuating the ruthlessness of this story. Furthermore, the acting is solid from top to bottom, amplifying the production's sense of professionalism. Fassbender plays it straight, making for a stable lead as the titular Counselor. There are times when Fassbender truly soars, too, including an unforgettable scene towards the film's end when he breaks down in a hugely realistic fashion. He shares terrific chemistry with Cruz, too, whose believability is a huge asset. More colourful is Bardem, with his spiky hair and spray tan, while Pitt seems to be enjoying himself as a cowboy type. Less successful is Diaz, who simply fails to make much of an impact. Angelina Jolie was initially cast in Diaz's role, which would've been more on target. The rest of the actors more or less receive single-scene cameos, including Rosie Perez, Bruno Ganz, John Leguizamo and Dean Norris.

Unfortunately, The Counselor seems stuck in first gear for most of its runtime, packing very little in the way of thrills or suspense. It looks visually interesting as it unfolds on the screen, but it only occasionally comes to life. And when the climax approaches and deaths mount, the movie still stays pretty sedate, becoming more elusive to emotional grasp. Ironically, the story would've probably been better served in novel form, as it's underwhelming as a motion picture, with its clinical, aloof nature making it difficult to become genuinely invested in. Perhaps McCarthy always needs someone else to adapt his works for the screen. The movie is dedicated to Ridley's sibling director Tony, who committed suicide in the middle of shooting.

5.6/10

Cormac McCarthy is no stranger to the big screen, two of his hit novels have been hugely popular in the past few years. Now his first spec script titled The Counselor has been turned into a a feature film, which came with an A-List cast. That could spell an instant hit, but The Counselor has many reasons why it could one of the best movies of the year, while simultaneously being a misfire on so many levels.

A lawyer known only as The Counselor decides to get himself involved in the drug trafficking business, with the help of some of his contacts. Dealing primarily with Reiner and Malkina, a dynamic powerhouse couple akin to the lavish lifestyle and Westray, a womanizing middle man the Counselor decides that 20,000,000 dollars is worth the risk.

Hyper sexualized and lavish, The Counselor doesn't jump to the quickest of starts. We are thrown into a hotel room where Fassbender and Cruz spend the opening scene talking dirty to one another and it never really has a sense of purpose. It shifts to Reiner and Malkina, one a man who doesn't know when to stop, accepting that greed will one day be his downfall and the other a former exotic dancer incapable of displaying human emotions. An interesting set of characters, downright engaging from a fan aspect if you really dig deep enough to think about. Take into consideration that the talents of Fassbender, Cruz, Bardem and Diaz are in the mix and that seems to spell a sure win for a film that has so many layers within the opening 25 minutes. Yet, somehow Cormac McCarthy is able to extend the absurdity to a level beyond comprehension before attempting to reel the film in for a thrilling final act.

One upon viewing this film could argue it is not meant to be the most engaging visual films of the year. A valid point indeed, it sure was meant to be a character piece; one that focused primarily on whether or not these people knew their own limits. However, the problem lies in the long winded dialogue which seemed focused on making a point using metaphors and allegories that didn't fit into the scope of this film. At the heart of it all was a story about risking it all and the risk not paying dividends. Somewhere in that simplicity lies a convoluted message of lust, sex and betrayal and always being one step ahead of everyone else. A note to the producers and McCarthy and that is in the future an A-List cast does not mask the inability to figure out your convoluted message. Unfortunately for all the things that were done right, there was too many that were done wrong and it becomes a blurry mess of tying up loose ends and themes before the final curtain closes.

What this film does right are the smaller moments. The scenes of gratuitous violence are chilling, eerily straight forward and efficiently productive in guiding the plot to it's ultimate destination. Fassbender provides a performance that is worthy of praise on many levels. As the film progresses, Fassbenders interpretation of a desperate man leaves chills running down your spine. When the man breaks down on screen you feel every bit of his emotion coursing through the performance. Brad Pitt is also a great presence in this film, allowing growth to a character that had a very small purpose in the overall plot. Pitt added his own style of wit and charm allowing his character to go off on seemingly random tangents where he spoke of things he had seen and done and even rambled on about snuff films. Diaz had to the be the worst part, her emotionless character Malkina was a caricature of a real person. The scene displaying her overt sexuality on the hood of a ferarri was laugh worthy and the most pointless scene in film history. Her outlandish and overt personality coupled with Bardems insanely ridiculous hairdo created a villainous portrayal that just seemed too far out in left field.

The Counselor ultimately falls victims to it's own shortcomings in the writing department. Cormac McCarthy is widely known for his descriptive and bleak poetic prose. That failed to translate onto the screen, creating a cast of misfits using foreshadows and lyrical description to display their fears for one another. Where it fails is their fears never really feel three dimensional, they never pop from the screen in the way we have seen film of this nature do in the past. As poetic and exquisite as the dialogue attempted to be the visuals never really opened you eyes to those words. It never became more then a wordsmith attempting to use his words to give his characters definitive definition when they needed it most. Great writers open up their words to visual interpretation, but McCarthy's words were never given enough breathing room. They held powerful and meaningful thoughts, but they never gave way to haunting visuals to go a long with them.

The morbid aspect of The Counselor lies within the violence and the disturbing world in which these characters were encompassed. The world was fascinating, and the violence allowed for an abrupt disposable of these 2 dimensional characters. If you are thinking about watching this film, enter at your own risk. It is not all what is show in previews. That statement is not intended to have a negative or positive affect on anyone's future decision to view this film. To be completely frank, the Counselor did have moments of pure brilliance lead by Ridley Scott's direction of his more then willing stars. Definitely one of the most memorable films of 2013, whether you end up liking it or not.

I'm not going to do a big review because this movie is not worth of it. Anyway, basically the movie is bad porn, people dying and trashy script. And i feel very sorry for Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender and Javier Bardem participating in this movie. Oh and i can't believe the same person that did Blade Runner did this piece of pure shit.

Warning: Anyone going to see this movie because of the cast and crew's pedigree, it's not worth it. This is a bad movie, going by the title of this review, it's the worst movie I've seen all year. Some people may bring up Grown Ups 2, but I knew that would be bad. This was one of my most anticipated movies of the fall.

The cast is wasted here. The Counselor is a boring character, and there's nothing Fassbender does to shake it. Cruz has nothing to do. She's on screen maybe 15 minutes, and isn't given a thing to do in them. Diaz is solid, but most of the time she's way too over the top. Pitt is good, though he really has no impact on the plot. Bardem is easily the most entertaining here, but he's offed first. Other decent actors show up in maybe one scene, then vanish (The John Leguizamo scene really has no point being in this movie, and the Ruben Blades phone call scene is so laughably bad and out of nowhere that I'm going on record calling it one of the funniest/worst scenes in movie history).

The script is way to talky, and ultimately pointless, but the film's greatest sin is it's editing. The editing is so bad here that at times it seemed like they were just throwing scenes together, hoping for the best. This should have been great, but damn was it bad.

D