Ridley Scott directs a dazzling cast in "The Counselor" Ridley Scott is the latest director to tackle American author Cormac McCarthy, whose "No Country for Old Men," "The Road," "Child of Men" and "All the Pretty Horses" have been filmed to acclaim. "The Counselor" is star-studded; Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Cameron Diaz, Michael Fassbender and Penelope Cruz lead the cast. For Cruz it is her second McCarthy outing. Director Sir Ridley Scott is delighted with his team: ""The key about it is that they're so professional; I mean I collate this all to, a bit like being an athlete, or tennis was my thing, it's great to knock up with them because they're all great tennis players," he enthused. The men play co-conspirators in a corrupt business deal that spins out of control. Cruz gets to play Fassbender's love interest, under the eyes of real-life husband Bardem. ""It was awkward, yeah. No, he was cool... you know those guys are consummate professionals, but those scenes are always kind of awkward to be honest, so it's not a threat to Javier. I am sure he's very comfortable with his marriage," said Fassbender, currently Hollywood's hottest leading man. In fact husband and wife do not share a scene, Cruz perhaps frightened off by Bardem's sporting another eccentric barnet after his Cohen brothers and Bond incarnations. ""I think Cameron is doing a great scene, a great movie, and unfortunately Penelope and I have not shared any scenes. I have only worked with Cameron and with Michael," said Bardem. Fassbender takes the lead as a greedy lawyer who is sucked into the dark and dangerous world of drug smuggling. As the quintet gets deeper and deeper in over their heads, the novel's tension leaps onto the screen, and Ridley Scott makes it all look just so, as usual. More about: Thriller, United Kingdom