The film immerses us in one of the most distressing periods of the second half of the 20th century, during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 when humanity had never been so close to experiencing a nuclear apocalypse. This is the backdrop of “The Courier,” which is based on historical events to document the unique relationship between a British businessman and a Soviet officer in Moscow.
More than the usual mechanics of a spy movie, it is about the connivance and understanding between two men who are fundamentally opposed, on each side of the Iron Curtain. Costumes, sets, and all elements contributing to the environment of Khrushchev’s Soviet Union are well-rendered, at least in the spirit of the many films or novels that have depicted it.
Another strong point of this film, which has a straightforward narrative but not many dull moments, lies in the performances of Merab Ninidze and Benedict Cumberbatch, both impeccable, with the latter achieving the feat of embodying with his known charisma the portrait of an honest and bland individual whose courage would never have been revealed without exceptional circumstances.
