The movie The Counselor (2013), an extraordinarily dark movie with an All-Star cast and directed by Ridley Scott, presents a different perspective about greed that few films discuss. Michael Fassbender is the Counselor, a successful lawyer who has money problems because he pursues an unsustainable of a lifestyle. To resolve his financial woes, he turns to his high-end drug dealer friend Reiner (Javier Bardem) who hooks him up with his business partner Westray (Brad Pitt) to do a “one time” drug deal.

In an unusual twist in separate pre-agreement discussions, Reiner and Westray spell out to the Counselor, the nature and enormous risks of drug transactions. With their keen sixth sense, they bluntly tell him not to do it despite the fact that both can profit handsomely from this deal. For the Counselor this is a deal to solve a short-term, financial problem while for Reiner and Westray this is their profession. As you can imagine, the drug shipment is hijacked and the Counselor is now the target of a ruthless Mexican cartel who wants their $21 million payment.

Often we think of greed as something that other people force upon us when in reality it’s the inner demon that hijacks our good senses and convinces us to pursue actions that lead to our financial or physical demise. We ourselves ultimately make the final go, no-go decision. For the Counselor, Reiner and Westray are archetypes, fallen angels, who try and fail to protect the Counselor from himself.

Like a virus, greed has many psychological entry points into the dark recesses of the mind. Psychologically, the Counselor who has led an honest life, is seduced to the dark side simply by his on-going association with Reiner and exposure to his gorgeous home and lavish lifestyle.  He ignores the fact that Reiner has acquired all these high-end material trappings through drug dealing. All the Counselor sees is an easy opportunity.

We sometimes justify unethical, immoral, and illegal choices and decisions particularly when we desire to make radical changes in our lives. What may appear to be heavenly on the surface is really Dante’s inferno below. What may be a “one time deal” turns into an obsession.

And this issue of self-betrayal applies to legal pursuits in which a particular profession is a bad match-up to the person’s psychological make-up.  Many of us are unfit for a dog-eat-dog profession like politics, investment banking, public relations, advertising, etc. yet there those who thrive in them.  Your worst enemy is yourself.  Only you can make a prudent self-assessment.

 

Reiner (Javier Bardem) explains the risks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix00_oPL3aI

Westray (Brad Pitt) advises not to do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB0kBO45MbI