I’ve been a big fan of Benedict Cumberbatch for a long time, but honestly, this is hands down the best acting I’ve ever seen from him. And he is not the only one who is superb in this film. So is Merab Nindze who plays Oleg Penkovsky as the Soviet trying to head off nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia. Both men deserve to be nominated for a best actor Oscar for this performance. Rachel Brosnahan and Jessie Buckley are great as well. The Courier is based on the true story of Greville Wynne, an ordinary British businessman recruited by M16 to courier secrets from a Moscow insider to the West, providing information that led to the defusing of the Cuban missile crisis. The story is intense, powerful, and based in fact. The very reason Wynne was recruited was because no one would suspect he was a spy. He was after all, a very ordinary, and only modestly successful British businessman with no interest in politics. If you are looking for a thriller that is actually in the theaters, and you’ve had your shots and have your mask…. you should go. I doubt you’ll see a better true to life drama than this one, which shows how ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they are just brave enough. I will not spoil the ending for you, but even if you are not a big fan of spy thrillers, this is a moving human interest story about two men who become friends in order to save the world from nuclear disaster.
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