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That's the only hint we get of why this man would dip into a dangerous drug deal with some clearly shady associates, including nightclub owner Reiner (Bardem) and the mysterious Westray (Brad Pitt, excellent too, with long, oily hair.) Maybe McCarthy is telling us that, in Westray's words, you don't know someone until you know what they want. Or something like that. Then there's Malkina, played by Diaz as if she were a James Bond villainess. (She even has a gold tooth or two.) It's a vampy performance, and sometimes humorous
-- as in a scene in a church confessional -- but it doesn't quite fit the tenor of the film. Especially when she utters some of McCarthy's more philosophical lines. Not that you won't be entertained. There's impressive cinematography by Dariusz Wolski. Also impressive: the outlandish method Scott and McCarthy come up with to kill a prominent character. Yes, his ghoulish demise is hinted at earlier, but that only makes it scarier when it happens. There's even a delicious reference to "Body Heat," and a warning from young Mickey Rourke. And for animal lovers, there are some gorgeous cheetahs on hand. What do they signify? Still pondering that. "The Counselor," a 20th Century Fox release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "graphic violence, some grisly images, strong sexual content and language." Running time: 117 minutes. Two and stars out of four. ___ MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
[Associated
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