THE ROSES : Tuesday 9th September 2025

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE ROSES' this week at my local multiplex, and this satirical black comedy film is Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in the three 'Austin Powers' films in 1997, 1999 and 2002, as well as 'Mystery, Alaska' in 1999, 'Meet the Parents' in 2000, 'Meet the Fockers' in 2004, 'Dinner for Schmucks' in 2010, 'Trumbo' in 2015 and 'Bombshell' in 2019. This film is based on the 1981 novel 'The War of the Roses' by Warren Adler, and a remake of the 1989 film, also titled 'The War of the Roses' which starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. The film was released in the US, and the UK at the end of August and here in Australia last week, having garnered mixed or average reviews, and so far grossing US$33M off the back of a production budget of just under US$31M.

The film opens up in London, where architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) is dining with colleagues in an upscale restaurant, and wanting to distance himself from the conversation of differing opinions to his own, he ventures into the kitchen and comes face to face with Ivy (Olivia Colman). The pair are instantly drawn to each other, and she tells him that she has a dream of relocating herself to America to start up her own business, to which he responds that he should go with her. Within five minutes of their meeting, they 'bond' in the coolroom.

Fast forward ten years, and Theo and Ivy have relocated to Mendocino, California, and are married and have twin children, Hattie (Delaney Quinn) and Roy (Ollie Robinson). They have differing parenting styles as Ivy spoils the kids with her homemade cakes, ice cream and fun activities, and Theo prioritises their health. 

With Ivy having sacrificed her business plans to raise their children, Theo buys her a piece of run down and long since vacated real estate, albeit overlooking the ocean, with his own money where she can finally open the restaurant she always dreamed of, which she calls 'We've Got Crabs'.

One night, during a severe storm, Theo's newly designed and constructed naval history museum is completely destroyed, just as Ivy's new restaurant is overrun with customers seeking shelter. Due to a glowing review from a renowned food critic, Ivy's business goes from strength to strength, making her the new breadwinner of the family, while Theo loses his job as a result of the naval history museum collapse, and agrees to be a stay-at-home parent. Taking full advantage of it, and jumping in with both feet he puts the kids on a strict regime of diet and regular physical exercise, and even has them sign a commitment to abide by the new regime, which it seems they are happy to abide by, much to Ivy's chagrin. As a result, Ivy begins to feel disconnected from her children's lives, while Theo becomes jealous of Ivy's success, and all the attention she is reaping.

Sensing a rift in their relationship, the pair make several attempts to reconcile, including a romantic weekend trip to New York City and marriage counselling, but all fail miserably. They begin to feel resentment for each other and blame the other for their problems. As a last ditch attempt to save their marriage, Ivy uses the profits from franchising out her restaurant business to give Theo an opportunity to build their dream home, located on a cliff top and overlooking the ocean.

Three years later, their dream house is complete, and the now thirteen year-old Hattie (Hala Finley) and Roy (Wells Rappaport) are prodigies accepted into a prestigious school in Miami on sports scholarships. Without the kids to distract them, Ivy and Theo's frustrations turn into a feud. Ivy mocks and humiliates Theo in front of their friends Barry and Amy (Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon respectively) and Sally and Rory (Zoe Chao and Jamie Demetriou respectively) during a housewarming party, discrediting his hard work. The next morning Ivy seeks to make amends by cooking him breakfast of blueberry pancakes, but he is not interested and instead goes out for a run. Theo, after saving a beached whale and experiencing an epiphany, realises that you only have one life to live, and that he is not in love with Ivy anymore and therefore wants a divorce. He asks only for the house which he designed and built, but Ivy says that she paid for it and wants to leave him with nothing.

They have a meeting with their divorce lawyers with Theo's friend Barry representing him and a renowned and super tough lawyer Eleanor (Allison Janney) representing Ivy. Barry is inexperienced in divorce law but has experience in property law, which he says is almost the same thing. The pair reach an impasse with neither prepared to budge on the house issue. 

As a result they decide to make each other's lives as uncomfortable as possible using cruel tactics, which results in Theo being blacklisted from architecture throughout the State as a result of Ivy posting an AI generated Deep Fake video of Theo online, and Ivy's restaurants being closed down for health contraventions as a result of Theo grating the hard skin from his toes into her parmesan cheese. Ivy has an allergic reaction after Theo tricks her into eating a mini Black Forest gateau laced with fresh raspberries, and will only cure her with an EpiPen if Ivy signs the papers. She signs as Zendaya rendering the papers useless, but he saves her anyway. 

Ivy then tries to shoot him with their home defence gun in response, with Theo ducking for cover behind the kitchen benches. They chase each other around the house as Ivy shoots randomly, with Theo smashing Ivy's beloved oven that once belonged to Julia Child in the process. Overwhelmed, and talking through a locked door, Theo admits he still loves Ivy despite everything that has happened between them. Ivy says she feels the same way, puts down the gun, Theo opens the door and the two embrace. 

As the pair collapse on the bed and become intimate, a gas leak is seen spreading through the house due to the damage that Theo inflicted on Ivy's oven. Unaware of the situation, Theo commands their smart home system to turn on the fire, at which the screen cuts to white. 

For me 'The Roses' would be up there as one of the best comedies of the year so far, and that's saying something! Watching Olivia Colman hand out her acerbic barbs and dropping the c-word on several occasions is a delight, and seeing Benedict Cumberbatch like he's just swallowed the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary delivering his quick witted well spoken retorts is a lesson in the command of the English language, and all credit to the scriptwriter Tony McNamara. Director Jay Roach has delivered a film that while perhaps not up there with its more bleak 1989 predecessor, he has crafted a nonetheless entertaining and modern 21st century take on a marriage in crisis, and the fallout thereof. The film has several moments of genuine humour, a number of farcical set pieces peppered throughout by a few occasions of emotional heft that help lift this remake above the also rans.

'The Roses' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS : Tuesday 10th May 2022.

'DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS', which I saw at my local Multiplex this week, is an M Rated American Superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of Doctor Stephen Strange and is the sequel to 2016's 'Doctor Strange' which grossed US$668M off the back of a production budget of circa US$200M and is the 28th feature film and part of Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is Directed by Sam Raimi who replaced Director Scott Derrickson from the first instalment. Originally slated for release in early May 2021, it was pushed back to early November 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before it was further shifted to the end of March 2022, and in October 2021, it was shifted once more to its current May 2022 date with the World Premier on 2nd May and its world wide release last week. On a budget of US$200M, the film has so far grossed US$533M and has received generally positive Critical feedback. 

Set a few months following the events of 'Spider-Man : No Way Home', the film opens up with teenager America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and an alternate version of Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) being chased by a demon in the space between universes while searching for the Book of Vishanti (the greatest known source of white magical knowledge on Earth that contains spells of defensive magic). Strange is killed before he can reach the Book of Vishanti and Chavez accidentally creates a portal that transports herself and Strange's corpse to Earth-616, where that universe's version of Strange is attending the wedding of his former love interest Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). 

Sipping Martini's post ceremony Strange springs to the rescue of  Chavez from an octopus demon with help from the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong (Benedict Wong). Chavez later explains that the demons are hunting her because she has the power to travel through the multiverse, although she is unable to control when and where she travels to and from. 

Recognising witchcraft runes on the now slaughtered octopus demon, Strange consults Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) for help but realises that she is responsible for the attacks. After acquiring the Darkhold (also known as The Book of the Damned, a textbook of black magic) and becoming the Scarlet Witch, Maximoff believes that controlling Chavez's powers will allow her to reunite with Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne), the children she created during her time in Westview, New Jersey. When Strange refuses to surrender Chavez, Maximoff attacks Kamar-Taj in Kathmandu, Nepal and the main HQ for the Masters of the Mystic Arts, killing many sorcerers. 

Chavez accidentally transports herself and Strange to Earth-838, taking in a multitude of multiverses to arrive there, while Maximoff uses the Darkhold to 'dream-walk', taking control of her Earth-838 counterpart, who lives a suburban life with her own Billy and Tommy. With Wong strung up and powerless, a surviving sorceress sacrifices herself to destroy the Darkhold and break the dream-walk. Enraged, Maximoff then forces Wong to lead her to Mount Wundagore (a mountain which holds the power of the Darkhold and features a shrine sitting atop dedicated to the Scarlet Witch), a forbidden ancient ruin, to reestablish the dream-walk.

On Earth-838 Strange and Chavez pay a visit to the Sanctum Sanctorum in that universe's version of New York City. There they are greeted by Sorcerer Supreme Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and brought before the Illuminati, a group consisting of Mordo, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Blackagar Boltagon (Anson Mount), Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), Reed Richards (John Krasinski), and Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). They explain that through reckless use of their universe's Darkhold in an attempt to defeat Thanos, Earth-838's Strange triggered a universe-destroying 'incursion' whereby two universes collide with one completely destroying the other. After defeating Thanos, the Illuminati killed their Strange to prevent him from creating more damage and danger to their universe. Mordo is of the belief that Earth-616's Strange is as dangerous, whereas Charles Xavier is prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and a second chance. 

Maximoff re-establishes her dream-walk at Mount Wundagore and arrives in her Earth-838 counterpart's body before they can pass judgment. Despite their best valiant attempts she slaughters all of the Illuminati except Mordo. Strange and Chavez meanwhile escape aided by Earth-838 counterpart of Strange's ex-fiance Christine Palmer, here a scientist working with the Illuminati.

Strange, Chavez, and Palmer enter through a doorway that leads them to a space between universes to find the Book of Vishanti, the polar opposite to the Darkhold, but Maximoff appears and destroys it. She then takes over Chavez's mind, using her powers to send the others to an incursion-destroyed universe. Back in Earth-616, Maximoff begins the spell to take Chavez's powers. Strange defeats the destroyed universe's Strange in a blackened out wasteland that was that universe's version of New York City and the Sanctum Sanctorum. 

That version of Strange had become corrupted by his universe's Darkhold, but Strange then uses it to dream-walk in the corpse of the deceased alternate Strange that Chavez was with when she jumped through the portal into Earth-616 initially. With Wong's help, Strange saves Chavez from Maximoff and encourages Chavez to use her powers. 

She transports Maximoff to Earth-838, where she sees Billy and Tommy retreat from her in fear while crying for their real mother. Maximoff relents and uses her powers to bring down Mount Wundagore, destroying all copies of the Darkhold throughout the multiverse and seemingly sacrificing herself in the process, along with the zombiefied Strange. Chavez returns Strange and Palmer to their respective universes.

Later, when peace has returned to Earth-616 Kamar-Taj is in the throes of being repaired as the surviving sorcerers, joined by Chavez, continue with their training. Strange having just exited from the Sanctum Sanctorum falls to the ground in agony as he develops a third eye as a result of using the Darkhold and dream-walking into a corpse. In a mid-credits scene, Strange is approached by a sorceress who introduces herself as Clea (Charlize Theron) who warns him that his actions have triggered an incursion that he must help fix. Strange follows her into the Dark Dimension. 

Sam Raimi's 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' has his trademark touches all over it, from the humour to the horror, and the drama to the thrills, here he explores various worlds within the multiverse that make for an entertaining and enjoyable watch, and, at at little over a very respectable two hour run time. The film is certainly a feast for the senses, but it misses out on an emotional heartbeat in favour of wham bam thank-you Ma'am action set pieces and mind bending CGI eye candy, that sure enough help propel the story along and I guess there's nothing wrong with that either. With twenty-seven MCU films before it, here the Studio and Raimi have delivered perhaps the most supernatural, dark fantasy tinged with elements of horror offering to date replete with the Director's touchstones from his forty year plus filmmaking career. Cumberbatch and Olsen provide the standout performances in their roles, as you would expect now given how settled they both are in their respective capacities, but Wong could have done with a little bit more meat on his characters bones, and I was left wanting to see more of him. As for the numerous cameo's - they're all on point despite many of them coming to a sticky end, albeit in an alternate universe which means that we're likely to see them again!

'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

SPIDER-MAN : NO WAY HOME : Tuesday 21st December 2021.

'SPIDER-MAN : NO WAY HOME' which I saw at my local multiplex last week, is the eagerly anticipated M Rated American Superhero film based on the Marvel comics character Spider-Man and is the follow up to 2017's 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' and 2019's 'Spider-Man : Far From Home' and is again Directed by Jon Watts. This film is the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the fourth film in Phase Four of the MCU following 'Black Widow', 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'The Eternals' with 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' coming next in May 2022 followed by a string of others through 2023. This film saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 13th of this month and was released worldwide later that same week having so far grossed US$1.05B off the back of a production budget of US$200M and has garnered generally positive critical acclaim. A sequel is already in development.

After Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man was exposed by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) at the end of 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' with J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) the Executive Reporter of the sensationalist news website TheDailyBugle.net who is provided a doctored video exposing Spider-Man's identity prompting him to broadcast it to the entire world. He frames Parker for the attack on London, claiming Mysterio as a hero, and Spider-Man as a murderer. Needless to say Parker's life and Spider-Man's reputation are turned upside down. Parker, his girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya), best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) and his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) are arrested without charge and interrogated at the Department of Damage Control. Lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is able to wrangle Parker out of any charges as the group wrestle with the negative worldwide publicity that has been thrown their way. Meanwhile, Parker, M.J. and Ned are eagerly awaiting the results of their applications to M.I.T. and when they arrive in the post they all convene at the cafe where M.J. works to open their envelopes at the same time. Needless to say, all three are rejected on the grounds of the negative publicity surrounding them which the university doesn't want to get entrenched in. 

Down but not out, Parker visits Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) at the Sanctum Sanctorum and asks for his help, in creating a spell that will make the world forget that Parker is Spider-Man. Reluctantly, Strange agrees and sets about casting his magic. However, during the process, Parker repeatedly interrupts by asking for exceptions that should include M.J., Ned and Aunt May and a few others to be precluded from forgetting. This causes the spell to become corrupted, but thankfully, Strange is able to contain it. Parker leaves, believing that nothing has happened. 

Parker decides to track down the M.I.T. Administrator who is on her way to the airport, at the suggestion of Stephen Strange to simply have a conversation and ask her to reconsider M.J.'s and Ned's applications as they were only innocent bystanders in the recent events that brought them all to this point. Stuck in traffic, Parker is suddenly attacked by Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina). Octavius tears open Parker's nanotechnology Iron-Spider suit which in turn links up with his own mechanical octopus tentacles which gives Parker the opportunity to take control and disable them. Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) then arrives and also attacks. Strange teleports Parker back to the Sanctorum and does the same with Octavius only locking the latter in a cell next to Curt Connors aka The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). Strange tells Parker that the corrupted spell briefly allowed people from other universes who know Spider-Man's identity to enter our own, and as a consequence orders Parker, M.J., and Ned to locate and capture them to minimise the harm they are likely to cause. 

Parker captures Max Dillon aka Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Flint Marko aka Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) as Osborn reclaims control of himself from his alter-ego Green Goblin persona. Osborn goes to a F.E.A.S.T. (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter and Training) building, where May comforts him before Parker retrieves him. While discussing their previous battles with Spider-Man, Osborn, Octavius, and Dillon come to realise that they were pulled from their universes just before their deaths at Spider-Man's hands. Strange prepares a spell that will send the villains back to their own universes, but Parker counters that they should first cure the villains' powers to avoid them dying when they return. Parker steals the boxed spell, and following a foot chase in the Mirror Dimension in which Parker successfully traps Stephen Strange takes the villains to Happy Hogan's (Jon Favreau) apartment with Aunt May. There, using Stark Industries hi-tech, Parker is successful in curing Octavius, but Osborn's Goblin alter-ego takes control and convinces the uncured villains to betray Parker. As Dillon, Marko, and Connors all escape, Osborn and Spider-Man fight with the latter coming off worse. Osborn fatally injures May, who in her dying breath says to Parker that 'with great power, there must also come great responsibility' before succumbing to her injury. Parker is distraught at the death of his beloved Aunt. 

Ned discovers he can create portals using Strange's sling ring, which he and M.J. use in an attempt to locate Parker. They find 'Peter-Two' (Tobey Maguire) and 'Peter-Three' (Andrew Garfield), alternate versions of Parker who were summoned from their respective universes by Strange's spell. Ned and M.J. locate Parker and comfort him while the other Parkers share stories of losing loved ones. They encourage Parker to fight in May's honour. The three Parkers develop cures for the villains and coax Dillon, Marko, and Connors to the Statue of Liberty, where Peter-Two and Parker cure Marko and Connors. Octavius arrives to help and cures Dillon.

Ned frees Strange from the Mirror Dimension where he had been trapped for twelve hours, just as Osborn arrives and destroys the boxed spell, rupturing the barrier between universes. While Strange tries to maintain the barrier, an enraged Parker attempts to kill Osborn this time gaining the upper hand, but Peter-Two stops him. Peter-Three and Parker inject Osborn with his cure, so restoring his sanity. Parker realises the only way to protect the multiverse is to erase himself from everyone's memory and requests that Strange do so, promising M.J. and Ned that he will find them again. Strange casts the spell returning everyone to their respective universes and wiping everyone's memory of Parker in his universe. Two weeks later, Parker visits M.J. and Ned at the cafe to reintroduce himself, but thinks better of it. While mourning at May's grave, he has a conversation with Hogan who doesn't recognise him, but as a consequence is inspired to carry on. He moves into an apartment, makes a new Spider-Man suit and jumps out the window continuing with his web-slinging superheroics, just as J. Jonah Jameson beams over the airwaves that Spider-Man hasn't been seen for three weeks now and that he should come forward and reveal his true identity. 

Watch out for the mid-credits sequence featuring Eddie Brock aka Venom (Tom Hardy) and the end credits scene featuring a brief clip from 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' due in cinema's in May 2022. 

'Spider-Man : No Way Home' deserves all the critical praise that is being bestowed upon it, and at in excess of US$1B at the global Box Office deserves to be the highest grossing film of 2021. Here Jon Watts has assembled a film that is chock full of heroes and villains, an impressive ensemble cast, large scale action, moments of laugh out loud humour, sharp dialogue, romance, emotion, grief and visual effects that very successfully pull together three Spider-Man franchises into one very satisfying well rounded conclusion. Here we see a grown-up more mature Peter Parker who is more willing to accept the consequences of his actions and take ownership of the end result, whilst still sharing a laugh and joke with 'Peter Two', 'Peter Three' Stephen Strange and Doc Ock in genuine heartfelt moments. Benedict Cumberbatch and Willem Dafoe add weight to an already impressive line up of acting talent. With a follow-up film already in development, who knows where the franchise will take us next, and even if Tom Holland will feature, but you can be sure that this will be a tough act to follow. My only criticism, and it's a small one at that, is that at a run time of two and a half hours, it could have been trimmed by fifteen minutes at least me thinks. That said, fans of the franchise certainly won't be disappointed. 

'Spider-Man : No Way Home' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE COURIER : Tuesday 13th April 2021.

I saw 'THE COURIER' last week, which is an M Rated UK and US Co-Produced historical drama film Directed by Dominic Cooke, whose prior film making outings take in two 'National Theatre Live' performances for 'The Comedy of Errors' in 2012 and 'Follies' in 2017, with 'On Chesil Beach' in 2017 and three episodes of the TV mini-series 'The Hollow Crown' in 2016. This film saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival way back in January 2020, was released Stateside in the US on 19th March, in the UK not until 17th May and here in Australia earlier this month having generated US$8.5M at the Box Office so far and generally favourable critical Reviews. 

Based on a true story that played out in the early '60's between the United States and the Soviet Union as both countries threatened one another with the might of their nuclear arsenals. In Moscow, CIA agents are a rare commodity, and the US has become hungry for more and more intelligence on Russia's next move. Russian military intelligence officer, Colonel Oleg Penkovsky (aka Alex, codenamed Ironbark, and played by Merab Ninidze) makes the very risky choice to defy his country in an attempt to halt all out nuclear war. Penkovsky is able to smuggle a message into the US Embassy in Moscow which lands on the desk of CIA Agent Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan) who then travels to London and meets with her counterpart in MI6, Dickie Francis (Angus Wright). Together they hatch a plan to enlist the services of someone who can hide in plain sight and be completely inconspicuous in helping to courier Penkovsky's leaked intel out of Moscow and into the waiting hands of the CIA and MI6. Their cunning plan rests at the feet of businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch), who has absolutely zero experience in the intelligence community and as such is unlikely to draw attention to himself as he goes about his work of drumming up new business avenues in Moscow. Over lunch, the three discuss their plan, and Wynne accepts the offer without truly appreciating what he has committed himself to. 

Wynne travels to Moscow and gets through customs no questions asked. He checks into his hotel and within a couple of days is meeting with a delegation of businessmen with whom he is hoping to develop business relations with so that all sides can gain a benefit. At that meeting is Oleg Penkovsky who invites Wynne for lunch, and then the opera and so the relationship is cemented having noticed a tie clip that was given to Wynne by Agent Donovan back in London, saying that he should wear it all times while in Moscow.

And so the story of subterfuge and international espionage ensues with Wynne playing the everyman businessman being wined and dined by the Russians, and in return he pays it back when the delegation of Russian's visit London on a famil. Wynne certainly knows how to turn on the charm and entertains his Russian guests with good food, plenty of liquor and a rousing time showing them the London club scene and all the trappings of a western capitalist society, with his wife Sheila (Jessie Buckley) also in attendance. All the while he and Penkovsky are exchanging 'contracts' for their undercover business dealings which in reality are top secret Russian military documents being drip fed back to the CIA and MI6. 

As Wynne spends more and more time toing and froing between London and Moscow so Sheila becomes increasingly suspicious - even more so because he has adopted a fitness regime and has become more adventurous in bed - and because we learn Wynne was at some point in the past unfaithful to his seemingly dutiful and forgiving wife. Shortly afterwards Penkovsky is paid a random visit in his Moscow office by a KGB Officer Gribanov (Kirill Pirogov) who begins asking probing questions about Wynne. Penkovsky states that he just a capitalist western salesman looking to make money by trading with Russia and that there is nothing to fear, and so Gribanov leaves apparently satisfied, for now! 

Khrushchev is becoming increasingly restless with America's placement of nuclear warheads in Turkey making them within easy range of Moscow. And so he seeks out a location on America's doorstep that would make US soil within easy reach of Russia's nuclear capability - Cuba. And so Penkovsky ramps up his supply of intelligence to Wynne providing documents, plans, drawings and maps of nuclear installations, long range rockets, and the fallout projections of an attack on the US. Shortly afterwards Penkovsky collapses in his office one day seemingly suffering a heart attack. He is seen recovering in hospital days later with his wife by his side, having been told by a nurse that he will make a full recovery and is just exhausted and worn out. 

Following this, Wynne returns to his hotel room to find that a Collins pocket Russian/English dictionary had been misplaced from the position he left it in when he exited earlier in the day. He suspects that his room had been searched and is now bugged. With the Russians seemingly now closing in and the Cuban Missile Crisis gathering real and potentially deadly consequences for the western world, Penkovsky agrees a time line for he and his wife and young daughter to defect. An escape route is planned and Donovan travels to Moscow to coordinate his extraction. In the American Embassy Wynne and Donovan watch the unfolding reports in Cuba on the television. With this, they spring into action with Wynne catching the next plane outta Dodge, and Donovan coordinating Penkovsky's extraction on the ground.  

As Penkovsky rushes to his modest apartment to gather up a few possessions and his wife and daughter to flee the country once and for all, he is greeted by Gribanov and a contingent of KGB personnel. Gribanov states that he poisoned Penkovsky which put him in hospital so that he could search his home and his office while he was out of action temporarily. There he found all the evidence needed to prove his guilt of feeding intelligence to the west. Gribanov asks Penkovsky to tell his wife and daughter what he had done, and knowing full well that his time had come he says that he betrayed his country and is a traitor. At that, he is physically manhandled out his apartment, leaving his wife distraught and sobbing. Meanwhile, Wynne is sitting anxiously in his seat on the plane waiting for takeoff. A message comes over the PA system apologising for the deadly in the takeoff. At that KGB Officers board the plane and order Wynne out of his seat and to accompany them. He is bundled into the back of a waiting vehicle. Donovan is arrested too by KGB authorities for driving the vehicle that was to transport Penkovsky out of the country, but she has diplomatic immunity and is later dropped off at the American Embassy and told she has 24 hours to leave the country. 

Wynne is carted off to a prison facility - his head is shaved, he is stripped naked, body searched, is given a cold shower and thrown in a basic cell with a cast iron bed, a couple of blankets and a bucket filled with the previous inmates urine and faeces. He is repeatedly interrogated by Gribanov and given water thin soup with a few chopped carrots and eyeballs with which to sustain himself. Time marches on as the weeks turn into months. 

Donovan and Francis visit Sheila at her home and break the news that Wynne had been arrested and was in prison in Russia. She, like Penkovsky's wife, was completely unknowing. They ask her to vehemently deny any rumours or speculation about her husbands alleged spying activities to the press or media and to carry on as though this is all a storm in a tea cup. After six months, and a dramatic loss of weight and nearly at breaking point, Wynne is visited in his prison by Shelia, who asks for her forgiveness for ever doubting him. She also tells him that the Cuban Missile Crisis was averted and Khrushchev withdrew his weapons from Cuba at the steadfast insistence of Kennedy - this was the first time Wynne has heard news of this development. Sheila tells him to remain strong as it could take another year for England to secure his release. 

Later while under further questioning by Gribanov, Penkovsky is brought into the room. It is the first time in about eight months that the pair have seen each other. Penkovsky confesses that he did hand over secret military documents to Wynne, but that Wynne had no knowledge of the contents of the packages, and that he was simply a mule. Wynne reaches across the table and grabs Penkovsky's hand and tells him that he averted the missile crisis in Cuba and that Russia withdrew, and that his sacrifices were worth it in the end. At this point Wynne is grabbed from behind and carted out of the room - this is the last time the pair ever set eyes on each other. 

A year later on 22nd April 1964 Wynne is released in a spy-swap for the Russian Konon Molody (known in the west as Gordon Arnold Lonsdale). Penkovsky is executed and buried in an unmarked grave, while his wife and daughter remain free and living in Moscow. In a pre-credits summary we are told that during their association Penkovksy exchanged over five thousand pieces of secret military intelligence with Wynne, making for a particularly fruitful relationship while it lasted. 

This film has been compared a lot to Spielberg's 'Bridge of Spies' and while this film is not in the same league as that offering I did learn something new about the unassuming English salesman who aided and abetted Oleg Penkovsky in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. Cumberbatch is perfectly cast as the everyman who ultimately shows extraordinary courage in the face of extreme adversity while demonstrating strength in human decency and simply wanting to make the world a safe place. Ninidze is also well cast as is Buckley, the production values are top notch and the film moves along a goodly pace despite the lack of any car chases, explosions, gun play, fist fights or gratuitous deaths. This is simply put, a well crafted Cold War true story that ups the tension, drama, emotion, patriotism and heroics in an effective albeit understated way that only adds to the appeal ultimately. Old fashioned cinema - but there's nothing wrong in that!

'The Courier' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, out of a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-