Formerly titled “Ironbark” when it premiered at Sundance more than a year ago, the cold-war spy drama, “The Courier” is finally being released next Friday on VOD and in theatres. Lionsgate bought the film at Park City film for a whopping $6 million. The investment was probably not worth it, but it doesn’t mean the film is worthless, either. Directed by Dominic Cooke, this is a token spy intrigue that, nevertheless, delivers enough thrills (especially in its second half). “The Courier” depicts the true working friendship between a businessman (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a Soviet-American spy during the Cuban missile crisis. It benefits greatly from the always-reliable Cumberbatch. “Ironbark” is the kind of film that turns out to be wholly unimpressive and immensely watchable at the same time. It’s what you might like to call a good old yarn, especially for a genre that’s been done to death by now at the movies.
SCORE: B-