The mileage you get out of The Counselor depends on how nihilistic your worldview is. Or maybe the better way to phrase it is, what you get out of The Counselor depends on how much you want to meditate on nihilism. And to paraphrase Lebowski, holding that view is exhausting.

At its core the movie feels off, it has an odd rhythm, and that starts all the way back at the script. Having read McCarthys screenplay multiple times (which can be found online), even the format is weird. McCarthy literally did not follow any of the normal screenwriting formats or structures. Only a writer of McCarthy caliber could get away with this. Aaron Sorkin could submit a script with a unique structure and it would get read, but for most, it would get filed in the trash.

The story: a man known only by his job title, Counselor decides to make quick cash by fronting a cartel drug shipment from Mexico into the US. The shipment is hijacked and all involved are seen by the cartel as guilty.

The gears of the plot are barely visible to the viewer and to the characters. No one knows what happened and everyone goes into philosophical reactionary mode as the murderous storm clouds approach.

This can be infuriating because it feels so angry and dark. It was mentioned by more than one critic that Ridley Scott directed this movie right about the time he lost his brother Tony Scott to suicide after he was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. That may or may not explain the movies humorless tone and execution. It feels like Scott sat shoulder to shoulder with McCarthy and his longstanding worldview, which I do believe amounts to “It’s all shit.”

It feels like this is the direct sequel to No Country. A book and movie that turns away from the coming border violence that McCarthy has been studying for more than 20 years. In No Country, sheriff Ed Tom Bell retires rather than fight what he sees as the impending violence. A level and type of violence that makes no sense to him – no right, no wrong – just a meat grinder.

The character of the Counselor swims around that violence but he never takes the violence seriously, until of course, it is too late.

The colorful characters are there for a reason and make sense. Living on the edge of acceptance. Bardems character looks out of place unless it’s 2am in a nightclub – similar to a Hells Angels looking out of place when not on their bike – that’s where they belong, that’s where they should be. The same could be said for Brad Pitts character.

For any fan of McCarthys writing or his novels, the most recognizable oft used character is for the first time a female and her name is Malkina.

Malkina, played by Cameron Diaz is to The Counselor as Chigur was to No Country. She is the menacing emotionless critical thinking magical-realistic character who seems to understand humanity and it’s near genetic need for violence. She also scares the other characters by her very presence. Diaz didn’t flinch in her performance and hats off to her for taking on the challenge and, arguably, pulling it off. If this character had been a man – a case could be made that the critical response might have been different.

The Counselor is darker and more nihilistic than The Road (at least the book). It is a dirty remorseless little movie that will leave a nasty taste in the mouth, no doubt about it – but that was the intent.