The Courier

Parents need to know that The Courier is a fact-based British spy thriller set during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It has torture scenes, strong language, and smoking throughout. But it also celebrates the immense courage of two men -- Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) -- who work to save the world from nuclear war. Set in 1962, the movie depicts some sexist and misogynistic behavior. Men leer over their female colleagues, and wives are expected to cook and host when guests come over and to care for their children while their husbands are at work. Although he's the hero, Wynne is depicted as being flawed, with references to romantic affairs in his past. The movie's violence is quite shocking but never graphic and often more alluded to than depicted. Wynne is tortured with techniques such as a harsh bright light being shone on him all day. He becomes very thin, and there's a rough body-cavity exam upon his initial arrest. In one scene, he's beaten by a group of guards, with blood splattered on the wall. Other violent scenes include a man being shot in the head at close range and another being poisoned. There are mild sexual references and occasional strong language, including "f--k." Characters smoke and drink regularly throughout the movie, which is accurate for the time period.