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Michael Fassbender stars as a lawyer who reaps the whirlwind when he tangles with drug lords in this Ridley Scott film penned by author  Cormac McCarthy. McCarthy’s screenplay will test the patience of many. It contains an abundance of two-person dialogue scenes — one after the other for the entire first half of the film. All the action, tension, and dramatic high points are reserved for the second half of the story, when the shit hits the fan and all the characters’ worlds come crashing down in a gloriously tragic fashion.

While the first half might be a bit of a slog, I thought it was interesting to piece together the exposition and finer plot points through the series of one-on-ones. I really didn’t mind all the talking — it was kind of a welcome relief from the whiplash, mindless action bullshit that litters the multiplex today. Does McCarthy indulge? Oh, for sure. A little of that highfalutin philosophizing goes a long way. But at least you have a stellar cast doling it out for you. Fassbender is joined by Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, and Brad Pitt. Cameron Diaz is especially memorable as a stone-cold dealer who’ll destroy anyone who gets in her way.