Directing legend Ridley Scott helms an exhilarating thriller which sees Oscar winner Javier Bardem reunited with the material of author Cormac McCarthy for the first time since No Country for Old Men.
For one confident lawyer (Michael Fassbender), known only as The Counsellor, his lavish lifestyle is putting a strain on his bank balance. Which is why, encouraged by exuberant Mexican Reiner (Bardem), he agrees to join an ensemble plot to smuggle drugs over the border into Mexico.
The experience may be a new one for the generally honestliving Counsellor, but he has a heavy new engagement ring to pay for, gratefully received by the beautiful and sparky Laura (Cruz). However, this is a risky business and, when the drug run goes bad, he's the one in the firing line.
Fans of McCarthy will recognise the dusty settings and foreboding nature of the Southern US frontier, reimagined with a stylish Hollywood sheen by Scott. After an eloquent and steamy opening, the movie thrusts forward with stabs of violence and sparks of action that are meatier than a South Texas burrito. It's no classic, despite the presence of so many award-laden stars, but it's a highly enjoyable border adventure with a stamp of quality throughout.
The Counsellor is a Film programme that first aired in 2013 and has been classified a 18 certificate.
