![]() ![]() ![]() These are all great actors, so what else would you expect? Same goes for the direction. The performances (the standout coming from Bardem) are all fine here. ![]() But, if you're patient enough to stay with this film until the second hour, you will be rewarded by witnessing how McCarthy and Scott weave this almost action-less tale together, quietly guiding audiences into a brilliantly disturbing and hypnotic finale. That is to say the first act and a half is far too cryptic for its own good, with dialogue that is in love with its own double entendres and lines which sound as though they would be more at home in a novel than spoken aloud by human beings. Admittedly, aside from the fact that this is not a very cinematic endeavor, the first half of this film is pretty bad. With a star studded cast, featuring the likes of Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt, and directed by Ridley Scott, with a script from one of the greatest American novelists alive, Cormac McCarthy, obviously I went to see "The Counselor" on face value alone. The 'Unrated Extended Cut' contains in general more profanity and sexual references than the R-rated 'Theatrical Cut'. The notorious death scene of Westray is extended and more graphic. The dialogue scenes with Westray contain more details about the unpredictable dangers of the drug trade. Reiner tells more anecdotes about his former girlfriends, friends and what he 'learned' about women. The sexually ambiguous relationship between Laura and Malkina is explored deeper in an additional scene. The sex scene at the beginning is longer and contains stronger sexual activity from Laura. The Cartel Leader's extended monologue gains nearly apocalyptic qualities. In this version the Diamond Dealer is characterized as a Sephardic Jew from Spain with a tragic past involving a deceased woman. Some scenes are extended substantially, for example the philosophical dialogue between the Counselor and the Diamond Dealer and between the Counselor and the Cartel Leader. ![]() It features new scenes, extended scenes and a little alternative footage. The 'Unrated Extended Cut' is 20 minutes longer than the 'Theatrical Cut'(117 min.) and runs nearly 138 minutes. ![]()
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