For Benedict Cumberbatch dolls who will watch anything just because he's in it, (not a criticism. Aside from being a great actor, he's one of the few who I've yet to catch out in anything truly bad) you will be rewarded for your faith and have it renewed in your favourite actor by watching this film all the way through. But for some, myself included I'm afraid, I found it a bit dull and standard spy caper stuff for the first two thirds of the movie. Based on a true story about a British business man who is recruited into a very high level soviet cold war spy information exchange at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, there's a lot of dinners and drinking and secret meetings that seem to drag on. But the las third of the movie Cumberpatch turns in a performance that will shake you and astound you. That is not hyperbole. That is a fact. Yes, there is the physical aspect. But for me it was the emotional aspect that few actors could have or would have pulled off and it is more than worth hanging in there to see it. So, while I would give the first two thirds of the movie a 6 or a 7, the last part of the movie, based purely on Cumberpatch's performance is an easy 10. I gave this movie as a whole a 9. I think, if you watch the whole thing, you'll see why.
Review of The Courier
