Cumberbatch’s work in the spy thriller is one of the most underrated roles of his career.
The Big Picture
- Benedict Cumberbatch excels in the spy movie
The Courier
, delivering a vulnerable and nuanced performance. - The chemistry between Cumberbatch and co-star Merab Ninidze adds depth to the film, focusing on friendship amidst espionage.
-
The Courier
stands out in Cumberbatch’s career for its unique portrayal of realism in the spy genre.
Benedict Cumberbatch has become one of the most celebrated actors of his generation because of the care and precision he takes in redefining classical genres. While there have been countless adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes story, Cumberbatch’s interpretation in the acclaimed BBC series Sherlock felt distinctly modern. Similarly, his Academy Award nominated performance in the romantic western drama The Power of the Dog challenged traditional standards of American masculinity. While it’s always exciting to see the unique perspective that he takes, Cumberbatch’s work in the spy thriller The Courier is one of the most underrated roles of his career.
The Courier was released theatrically in 2021, one of the most packed year of Cumberbatch’s entire career; within a twelve-month span, Cumberbatch received awards buzz for The Power of the Dog, gave a surprisingly emotional performance in the war drama The Mauritanian, flexed his comedic chops in the biopic The Electric Life of Louis Wain, and reprised his role as Steven Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It may have been a quiet and old-fashioned thriller, but The Courier sheds light on a shocking true story and features an uncharacteristically sensitive performance from Cumberbatch.
The Courier
The Courier is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. At the behest of the UK’s MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Release Date
- March 19, 2021
- Director
- Dominic Cooke
- Cast
- Vladimir Chuprikov , Merab Ninidze , James Schofield , Fred Haig , Emma Penzina , Mariya Mironova , Benedict Cumberbatch
- Runtime
- 112 minutes
- Main Genre
- Thriller
- Writers
- Tom O'Connor
- Studio
- Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions
What Is ‘The Courier’ About?
Set during the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1960, The Courier is based on the true story of the British businessman Greville Wynne, whom Cumberbatch portrays. Although Wynne has a rather ordinary life in England with his wife Sheila (Jessie Buckley), he is approached by the CIA officer Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan) and the MI6 operative Dickie Franks (Angus Wright) about potentially working on an undercover mission to Moscow. The two spy agencies have just learned that the Soviet Union intelligence officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) intends to defect, bringing classified information about the nation’s top secret nuclear program. While the official involvement of an MI6 or CIA agent on foreign soil could potentially spark conflict if they were discovered, an average businessman like Wynne wouldn’t risk the same consequences.
Cumberbatch does a great job at showing how Wynne’s good-natured empathy makes him vulnerable. Wynne isn’t necessarily ignorant about world politics, but his perspective on the Cold War is limited to the selective information that is fed to him by the news media; Wynne perceives the fight against the Soviet Union as a just cause, and considers his involvement in a top secret mission to be an honorable one. Tragically, Wynne is so eager to serve the greater good that he doesn’t stop to consider why the government would saddle someone like him with such significant responsibilities. Wynne realizes that he’s been deceived far too late, which is made all the more heartbreaking thanks to Cumberbatch’s sensitive performance.
Benedict Cumberbatch on ‘The Power of the Dog,’ Playing Doctor Strange, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ and His Iconic ‘Sherlock’ Role
Benedict Cumberbatch was awarded the prestigious Cinema Vanguard Award for the way he balances major blockbusters with independent features.
Although the film uses Wynne’s experiences to shed insight on the larger world of espionage, The Courier is strongest when focusing on the chemistry between Cumberbatch and Ninidze. While Wynne has preconceived notions about what a “Russian spy” would look like, he’s surprised to find that Oleg is a family man whose life is not that much different than his own. The friendship that forms between them resonates, as both men realize that their livelihoods have been taken for granted by the institutions that they serve. The Courier doesn’t feature any epic action sequences or intense shakedowns like other spy movies, but the intimate exchanges between the two great actors are just as enthralling.
‘The Courier’ Inverts the Spy Movie Genre Through Benedict Cumberbatch’s Greville Wynne
The Courier has a unique perspective on the spy movie genre, as it focuses on the plight of an average man caught up within extraordinary circumstances; while the attention-to-detail in which director Dominic Cooke paints the espionage world sparks comparisons to the work of John le Carré, the premise feels reminiscent of the classic thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock. Cumberbatch gives a great performance because he enters the espionage world at the same time that the audience does, thus becoming their avatar. The story’s twists and turns became all the more devastating as it becomes obvious Wynne truly did not know what he signed up for when agreeing to make contact with Oleg.
Cumberbatch helps balance the tone of The Courier by adding nuance and devastating emotions to the story. If Sherlock wasn’t evidence enough of Cumberbatch’s ability to deliver a complex but riveting performance, then The Courier showed some of his charismatic abilities through the occasional banter between Wynne and Oleg. However, the film becomes quite gripping towards the conclusion when Wynne is captured and tortured for his espionage. The way Cumberbatch characterizes Wynne’s trying emotions becomes all the more heartbreaking when reflecting upon the more joyful scenes with his family early on.
‘The Courier’ Is Unique Among Benedict Cumberbatch’s Performances
The Courier isn’t the first historical drama that Cumberbatch has appeared in, nor is it the only spy thriller. However, Cumberbatch brings a sense of vulnerability to The Courier that isn’t generally present in his other performances. Wynne lacks the sharp wit of Sherlock Holmes or the sarcastic drawl of Stephen Strange. He never presents himself as an imposing figure, nor does he claim to have any significant ambitions. While it can be diffficult for a famous actor to entirely “disappear” within a role, Cumberbatch manages to make Wynne entirely distinct from any of his past work.
The versatility Cumberbatch brings to the role is critical, as The Courier is a far less idealized depiction of spycraft compared to other historical biopics. The film is unafraid to criticize both the western and Soviet espionage agencies for their deceitful nature, indicating that Wynne was simply cast aside as a pawn. While it’s a tragedy that this story was buried for so long, Cumberbatch’s powerful performance ensures that Wynne’s legacy will be remembered.
The Courier is currently available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO
This article was originally published on collider.com