For information on the cast, producers and more from The Courier, go here for our initial coverage.
Clips:
If you live in the United States, most of what you learned about The Cold War in school was from the American perspective. That's understandable, but there were some incredible stories of allies along the way that you might have missed. The Courier, based on the true story of Greville Wynne, does a great job in bringing the story of a businessman turned spy to light.
No spoilers in this review, but I can tell you that The Courier tells the story of Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch), who was recruited by the British and American governments to deliver information to and from a top informant in the Soviet Union. That informant was Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze). It is a tense and compelling tale of an effort to avoid all out nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
One of the best things about this film is the chemistry on screen between Cumberbatch's Wynn and Ninidze's Penkovsky. You see their relationship evolve from an unease first meeting to almost a brotherhood. Theirs was clearly a relationship born out of necessity, but they quickly became the closest of allies. You see how much they relied on one another, and how that trust was built up. As a viewer, it also helped me build up trust in this partnership that I kept waiting to blow up in Wynne's face. This build up also leads to a great payoff in the latter part of the film, creating a greater emotional impact. That doesn't happen if Cumberbatch and Ninidze don't create that bond throughout.
The other thing that really struck me is how much of a strain this puts on Wynne outside of these covert moments. You see how this affects his home life and just his mental state in general. You don't have to imagine what that pressure must have been like, because Cumberbatch brilliantly brings that front and center. You want to talk about putting everything into a performance, Cumberbatch certainly does that here. It wasn't just verbal, but it was a very physical protrayal. That is someone else that becomes even more evident in the latter stages of the film.
We also get to see the awful side of the politics of the era. Rachel Brosnahan plays CIA Agent Emily Donovan, who is working with the British government on this operation. She also brings a lot of strength and heart to the film, especially in the difficult moments involving Wynne and his family. It was also a breath of fresh air seeing a strong woman in the Cold War era, working a high level position in the government and earning the respect of her peers. That's not something that we typically see in films based in this era. She's cunning, and she's pretty tough when she needs to be. Without her, this operation might not have happened at all.
Even after learning more about the story before watching The Courier, I still found myself very much on edge at times. Obviously there are always some creative licenses taken in stories like these, so there was still a bit of an unknown element involved here. Your enjoyment of this film will definitely be based on how invested you get in these characters early. Obviously you want the "good guys" to win, but the story really isn't as much about that as it is about these characters and what they are all going through. My only real criticism is, I do kind of wish this film could have tackled Wynne's emotional state in the aftermath of what he went through in the latter part of the film. Give me the setup a bit faster, and then take some time at the end to show me what happens to him more after he comes home. I get it, the film is about the journey, and I enjoyed that. At the same time, that didn't stop me from wanting more when the credits rolled. Sure I read about it after the fact, but I could only imagine how incredible Benedict Cumberbatch would have been bringing those moments to life.
This is a very personal tale in a piece of history that we are all familiar with. You'll see some well known historical figures from the time, and even hear some clips of speeches from the era. This might be a history lesson, but it's absolutely not the textbook kind. I was entertained, horrified at times, but completely drawn into the story. If you are a history buff, and you go into this not expecting a thesis paper on these events, I think you'll very much enjoy this film.
The Courier is available now in select theaters.
Photo Credit: Liam Daniel/Courtesy of Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions