Review of The Courier
midlandsmovies • August 11, 2021
The Courier (2021) Dir. Dominic Cooke
Four years after his directorial debut On Chesil Beach, director Dominic Cooke’s follow up film heads into far darker territory with his new historical spy thriller The Courier.
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Greville Wynne, a real-life British engineer and businessman recruited by MI6 because of his regular travel to Eastern Europe. Wynne subsequently becomes a courier who transports top-secret information to London from Soviet agent Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) during the early 1960s.
Cumberbatch is often his usual awkward self in this film and when the intelligence services see his business as the perfect cover for their illicit missions, he dutifully steps up. But he keeps his true intentions from his loyal wife (Jessie Buckley as patient Sheila Wynne).
In order to gain intelligence about Soviet missiles being transported to Cuba, his multiple trips start to attract attention and his surveillance tasks become increasingly dangerous. The gentle Englishman is placed into precarious situations which begin to take their toll, not just on his own life but that of his wife and child.
Yet despite their safeguards, the two spies are investigated themselves and finally caught by the authorities and charged with treason. Whilst Penkovsky admits his betrayal, he attempts to protect his double-dealing ally by claiming Wynne knew nothing.
The final act delivers a more demoralising tone with Cumberbatch embodying – or changing his body into – a husk of a human to reflect the meagre resources in the strict Siberian prison he’s sent to. It’s a real gut punch that contrasts starkly against the more regular Cold War drama sequences seen up until to this point.
He does a convincing “Bale” to physically capture an inmate’s emaciated state, becoming a hollow and broken man. Yet, he plays Wynne well with a sort of stoic soul, perhaps the only way anyone could ever get through the inhumane treatment he faces.
Some may know the true-life tale but it’s not dissatisfying to discover the story ends mostly on a high rather than a low conclusion. The film illuminates a little-known, but hugely important, aspect of history where one man’s individual strength became the catalyst that prevented possible global conflicts.
Audiences therefore should definitely take a snoop at The Courier. As although it’s not a game-changer, it’s a great espionage drama with a terrific Cumberbatch central performance as a small-scale man hiding big-time secrets.
★★★★
Michael Sales
On Sunday 26th April Midlands Movies Editor Michael Sales & awards ceremony co-host Ed Stagg (BBC Radio) announced the nominations for the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards live from the Queen of Bradgate Vintage Cinema in Leicester. A big thanks was given to the entire Jury Panel of industry experts who gave up their precious time to watch a huge selection of creative projects and as always, had a difficult time choosing from the excellent number of films from the region. You can read the full list of nominations across all 16 categories below and watch our announcement videos here: Part 1 & Part 2 And please also check out our great awards partner Chrome Video Best Actress in a Leading Role Karendip Phull for Family Kate Bracken for The Lace Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit Chloe Wade for How Long Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison Best Animated Film Of All the Things by Steff Lee Big Red by James Pyle Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu Butterfly by Jacob Christie Best Director Luke Worrall for The Waterline Lily Portman for Quiet Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed Sophia Dall'Aglio for Man from Mars Best Documentary Nothing's Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders We Bring Light: Leicester's Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert Through the Viewfinder by William North Best Sound (Editing or Mixing) Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution Deepanjali Patel for Earworm David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things Best Actor in a Supporting Role Devon Junior for Lazar Tim Sparrow for Safety Net Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family Luke Rollason for Quiet Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring Best Visual & Special Effects Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit Nick Willett & Matt Burkey for Black Goat JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour Jacob Christie for Countenance Best Cinematography Gary Rogers for The Pause Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed Ian Snape for Soul Trader Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room Duane Adamoli for Surfing (nominations continue below...)
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