During the Cold War, a Businessman Enters the World of Espionage

Merab Ninidze and Benedict Cumberbatch in
"The Courier"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

With the Cold War being one of the most contentious periods of the twentieth century, it’s not any surprise that there are still many stories that can be told about that point in history.  We’ve been given a couple of major films that have focused on this subject in one way or another, and they’ve shown how this era can be depicted in several genres.  While historical-thrillers have been the prime genre for such a story, like with Steven Spielberg’s 2015 film, “Bridge of Spies,” it has also proved to be effective in a very different genre, with this example being Guillermo del Toro’s 2017 romantic fantasy, “The Shape of Water.”

Now, director Dominic Cooke has found a riveting true story set during the Cold War with his new film, “The Courier,” a movie where, despite the tensions between the U.S. and Russia being at the forefront, there’s still a heartfelt story within.

The story follows Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch), a British businessman who’s recruited by the Secret Intelligent Service to carry messages to a Russian source, Colonel Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cumberbatch offers a compelling performance as a reluctant hero who soon builds up the courage to put himself in danger.  His performance resembles what you’ll see in many of Hitchcock’s thrillers, with an everyday man thrown into significant circumstances.  Cumberbatch shows the palpable anxiety that such an undertaking has on his character, but also uplifts you with the newfound bravery that becomes stronger in him as he advances in his mission.  It’s an old-school type of performance that never gets stale, one that matches the strength of Cumberbatch’s acting abilities.

Ninidze is every bit as absorbing as Cumberbatch, also playing someone who must risk his life to dispel the threats of nuclear war.  He displays the courageousness of battling the oppressiveness of his country, risking everything to create a better life for his family and the rest of the world.

Cumberbatch and Ninidze offer genuine chemistry as two characters who are tasked with the same job, and it’s the similarities in their roles that immerse you in Greville and Oleg’s growing bond as the world hangs in the balance.  The scenes that they share express their humanity that was a saving grace in the Cold War, a hopeful glimmer that people from two opposing nations could work together for the betterment of their world.

Aside from Cumberbatch and Ninidze, we also have some fine supporting performances from Rachel Brosnahan and Angus Wright as the intelligence officers who guide Greville through his mission; and Jessie Buckley and Maria Mironova as Greville and Oleg’s wives, respectively.  Through these characters, we see how the stress of the situation impacts them in different ways, between those on the frontline and those who are in the dark and waiting for news at home.

Although the third act feels a bit rushed, Tom O’Connor’s screenplay is still a gripping Cold War thriller.  We have the typical scenes of the espionage plans as they’re planned and enacted, which are engaging; however, there’s more to the story than that.  Interspersed within the spy-thriller sequences is a more poignant story, one that deals with the friendship between Greville and Oleg.  These are the scenes that provide an effective human component to the mission at hand, absorbing us in Greville and Oleg’s growing relationship as their work becomes more and more dangerous.  The humanity of the characters is also exhibited in the scenes with Grevill and Oleg interacting with their families, which shed light on the personal stakes that the two characters have amidst the worldwide stakes.

Cooke’s direction has the espionage thrills that we’ve come to love over the decades in this type of historical film, keeping us tense when the movie brings us deeper into Greville and Oleg’s task.  But, an aspect of his filmmaking that’s even more notable is how he’s able to slow things down from time to time as we witness not only the bond that grows between these two strangers who have a common goal, but also the complications that their mission causes in their families.  Cooke establishes a balance between the tones of a spy-thriller and that of a friendship/family drama, making “The Courier” a compelling view of the deep connections that can be made in a tumultuous period.

Grade: A-