Respond to these rapid questions in our The Courier quiz and we will tell you which The Courier character you are. Play it now.
“The Courier” will elicit memories of previous spy films as well as the tropes that they frequently employ. For more specific reference, you may be reminded of the superior Cold War-era spy-swapping film “Bridge of Spies,” which was released in 2015. based on true events, both films feature Russian spies, imprisoned agents, and a spy swap between Russia and the United States of America However, in this case, the swap does not play a significant role in the main plot, and the Russian spy is working for both MI6 and the CIA. As in Spielberg’s film, this is a meditation on the personal cost of doing something for the greater good rather than for personal gain. Stories like that come with a whole host of cinematic clichés, and incorporating them into the mix runs the risk of overcrowding the screen time. However, if done correctly, clichés are not a bad thing, especially if they involve characters who are easy to root for and a significant amount of high stakes to overcome.
Greville Wynne’s story is told by director Dominic Cooke and screenwriter Tom O’Connor in a film that is “based on true events” (Benedict Cumberbatch). Wynne was a British businessman who, between 1960 and 1962, smuggled thousands of pieces of intelligence out of Russia before being apprehended, imprisoned, and tortured for two years by the Soviet secret police, the KGB. Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) assists him in his role as “courier,” despite the fact that he is a far more experienced Russian agent. With his position as a salesman who works his magic on Eastern European clients, Wynne makes for a successful smuggler; however, as a British citizen, he is assumed to be a pure capitalist creature whose only concern is money. When you combine that with his exceptional ability to mingle and drink with customers, he emerges as someone who is neither suspicious nor a potential threat to Soviet security.
As a result of his recruitment by MI6 agent Dickie Franks (Angus Wright), Wynne is persuaded to meet with CIA agent Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan) in order to gather intelligence that will aid President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Wynne is surprised to learn that he has been recruited. She reassures him that he is in safe hands. Initially, Wynne rejects their proposal because the entire concept appears to be absurd. He has no formal education or training. He’s also a family man, with a precocious young son named Andrew (Keir Hills) and a loving, forgiving wife named Sheila (Jessie Buckley). It was only after Wynne took those dirty jokes about traveling salesmen seriously that Sheila’s forgiving nature became apparent. Sudden trips to Moscow, as well as frequent trips that he is unable to disclose to his wife in any way, are certain to raise her suspicions about new infidelities.
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‘The Courier’ draws the parallel between Wynd’s “making the clients happy” job and the thespian qualities of being a spy, and he does so successfully: He is acting in a role that requires him to keep his true emotions hidden and maintain a specific, carefully calibrated, unflappable demeanor. Penkovsky reassures him that he is doing a good job in his new position. Due to the fact that the two family men spend more time together, their guards begin to come down and the two grow closer as friends. Cumberbatch and Ninidze do an excellent job of conveying their newfound bond, which aids the viewer in swallowing the unbelievable decision that sets the second half of the film in motion. Cumberbatch and Ninidze are both excellent performers.
The Courier Quiz
The first hour, which focuses on the existing and developing human relationships in England and Russia, is more entertaining than the second hour, which takes place in a prison. Her and Greville have a sweet, realistic dynamic that works well together. In this role, Buckley gives an outstanding performance that carries her through to the predictable point at which she must pivot to the strong spouse who is cautiously awaiting the return of her husband. Of course, she becomes convinced that Greville is cheating when she observes him exercising more than he has ever done, let alone trying new things in bed that he has never considered before. With just the right amount of amusement and forcefulness, Buckley handles the situation, warning that she will not be as understanding if there is another woman present. Perhaps her most moving moment is when she realizes the true nature of her husband’s secrecy and how she may never have the opportunity to express her regret at having been so trusting of him.
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We also spend time with Penkovsky and his family, which includes his wife and daughter. Their scenes are just as passionate as the Wynnes’, but they are tinged with a greater sense of danger. Penkovsky is a decorated former soldier with numerous security clearances, and as he explains to Wynne, everyone in Russia has eyes that are spying for the government at all times. However, while it is easy to predict that Penkovsky’s espionage work will catch up with him, it is more difficult to believe that Wynne would risk his life and limb to go back into the organization in an attempt to assist him in defecting. “The Courier” loses its momentum once he is apprehended because it isolates its main character for violent prison scenes that have been seen countless times in the past. Penkovsky and Wynne have a memorable jail cell reunion at the end of the film, which is notable for the way it wears its empathy like a sentimental badge of honor.
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Despite the fact that there is nothing new or transformative here, “The Courier” manages to stay afloat thanks to the performances of Buckley, Cumberbatch, and Ninidze. The unfortunate thing is that Brosnahan’s performance is sub-par. Her character feels completely out of place in this story, as if Donovan was thrown in to inject an American into a story that is primarily set in the United Kingdom. Her one major scene, in which she attempts to terrify Wynne by describing the four minutes he would have if a nuclear weapon were headed for London, is unconvincing and fails to produce the reverse psychology effect that the film hopes it will have. I was pleasantly surprised by how well “The Courier” worked for me, and I must give some credit to Sean Bobbitt’s moody cinematography and Abel Korzeniowski’s engaging score for their contributions. Because of their efforts, the audience was given the impression that this film could have been made within the timeframe specified. That was the final nail in the coffin for me.Also, you must try to play this The Courier quiz.
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