The Courier

The Courier is almost two films in one: the second half is much darker and more intense than the first, but the shift is so delicately abrupt that at first you barely register it. That's part of the movie's edgily engaging artistry...

A skilled, suspenseful and propulsive historical drama.

[Benedict Cumberbatch is] the perfect actor for this kind of role.

It's a difficult scene to bring off, yet Cumberbatch makes it seem effortless.

I did not know Wynne's story, so for this viewer The Courier developed into an old-fashioned will-they-be-caught thriller.

The heightened level of emotion [Rachel Brosnahan and Jessie Buckley] provide propels the story and Cumberbatch forward, keeping viewers engaged as they approach a climactic ending.

Whether or not you end up caring about Wynne and Penkovsky ... the can-they-pull-this-off factor is more than enough to keep you engaged.

We never feel tested by the subjects on screen. At no point is any of this over our heads, and, honestly, isn't that the fun of political thrillers: feeling like these people know more than you and will find the solution in a way you couldn't anticipate?

Director Dominic Cooke's well-crafted and finely acted film is another jewel in the spy-thriller canon.

There's a slow-burning elegance to this British espionage drama...