The Counselor
A lawyer finds himself in far over his head when he attempts to get involved in drug trafficking.
Despite a mid-range budget of $25.0M, The Counselor became a solid performer, earning $71.0M worldwide—a 184% return.
5 wins & 3 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Counselor (2013) demonstrates carefully calibrated story structure, characteristic of Ridley Scott's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
The Counselor
Reiner
Malkina
Laura
Westray
Main Cast & Characters
The Counselor
Played by Michael Fassbender
A successful lawyer who makes a fateful decision to enter drug trafficking to solve financial problems, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Reiner
Played by Javier Bardem
A flamboyant nightclub owner and drug trafficker who recruits the Counselor, living a lavish lifestyle with dangerous connections.
Malkina
Played by Cameron Diaz
Reiner's cunning and predatory girlfriend, a manipulative femme fatale with cheetahs who orchestrates betrayal and destruction.
Laura
Played by Penélope Cruz
The Counselor's innocent and loving fiancée, unaware of his criminal activities until it's too late.
Westray
Played by Brad Pitt
A pragmatic middleman in the drug trade who warns the Counselor about the dangers but is ultimately doomed himself.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Counselor and Laura in bed together, intimate and tender. He proposes marriage. They appear wealthy, successful, and in love - the high point before the fall.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when The Counselor meets with Westray and Reiner to discuss entering a drug deal as an investor. The opportunity is presented - a one-time shipment that could solve his financial problems.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 30 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to The Counselor commits to the drug deal, making the payment and becoming an investor in the shipment. He crosses into the criminal world with no way back., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The shipment is hijacked. The Counselor learns the deal has gone catastrophically wrong. What seemed like a controlled risk becomes a death sentence. The stakes transform from financial gain to pure survival., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 87 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Westray is killed by the bolito device at the border. The Counselor finds his body and fully comprehends the cartel's reach and brutality. Death has arrived, and he's powerless to stop it., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 94 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Jefe (the cartel leader) calls and explains the philosophy of the bolito: once you're in the trap, every movement tightens it. The Counselor understands there is no escape, no negotiation, no redemption - only consequences., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Counselor's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Counselor against these established plot points, we can identify how Ridley Scott utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Counselor within the thriller genre.
Ridley Scott's Structural Approach
Among the 24 Ridley Scott films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.5, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Counselor represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Ridley Scott filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional thriller films include The Warriors, Thunderball and Rustom. For more Ridley Scott analyses, see Alien, White Squall and American Gangster.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Counselor and Laura in bed together, intimate and tender. He proposes marriage. They appear wealthy, successful, and in love - the high point before the fall.
Theme
Reiner warns the Counselor about consequences and the nature of choice: "You don't know someone until you know what they want." The theme of irreversible decisions and their brutal consequences is established.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Counselor's world: his relationship with Laura, his law practice, his associates Reiner and Westray, and the luxury lifestyle he maintains. We see his financial pressures and connections to the criminal underworld.
Disruption
The Counselor meets with Westray and Reiner to discuss entering a drug deal as an investor. The opportunity is presented - a one-time shipment that could solve his financial problems.
Resistance
Westray repeatedly warns the Counselor about the dangers, telling him he's not equipped for this world. Multiple characters offer cautionary tales and philosophical warnings about the cartel's ruthlessness. The Counselor debates but rationalizes proceeding.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Counselor commits to the drug deal, making the payment and becoming an investor in the shipment. He crosses into the criminal world with no way back.
Mirror World
The Counselor shops for an engagement diamond for Laura, representing his genuine love and his misguided belief he can maintain his legitimate life while profiting from crime. Laura embodies what he stands to lose.
Premise
The drug deal machinery moves forward. We see the cartel's operations, Malkina's manipulations, and the Counselor's continued involvement. He believes he's insulated from consequences while waiting for his payout.
Midpoint
The shipment is hijacked. The Counselor learns the deal has gone catastrophically wrong. What seemed like a controlled risk becomes a death sentence. The stakes transform from financial gain to pure survival.
Opposition
The Counselor desperately tries to fix the situation, but every door closes. Westray explains the cartel's inevitable retribution. The Counselor realizes he's trapped in a machine that doesn't care about his intentions or excuses.
Collapse
Westray is killed by the bolito device at the border. The Counselor finds his body and fully comprehends the cartel's reach and brutality. Death has arrived, and he's powerless to stop it.
Crisis
The Counselor attempts to reach Laura, trying to warn her and save her, but she's already been taken. He sits alone in his apartment, devastated, waiting for calls that won't come. Complete emotional collapse.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Jefe (the cartel leader) calls and explains the philosophy of the bolito: once you're in the trap, every movement tightens it. The Counselor understands there is no escape, no negotiation, no redemption - only consequences.
Synthesis
The Counselor receives the DVD showing Laura's death. He sits in his luxury apartment, alone with his grief and guilt. Malkina escapes to London with her profits. The cartel's justice is complete.
Transformation
The Counselor weeps alone, surrounded by the trappings of wealth that meant nothing. Where he began in bed with Laura full of hope, he ends destroyed and alone - a man who learned too late that some choices are irreversible.