With another dramatic role under her belt, Emily Blunt has cemented her status as one of the best actresses of the past few decades.
“Sicario,” directed by Denis Villenueve (“Prisoners”), revolves around the life of FBI agent Kate Macer (Blunt) and her involvement in breaking up a drug cartel in Mexico. Macy joins a small, focused inter-agency team with CIA agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and “consultant” Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro).

Initially, I was a touch underwhelmed by the film. I knew I liked it better than Matt Damon’s “The Martian,” but was not completely won over. After thinking about how great the movie was directed, along with the expert acting, I think this is one of the best films of the year, and definitely the best work that Blunt has ever done.

Del Toro and Brolin were great as well, but with the two of them, it seems as though they are the same characters in real life. del Toro is soft spoken, secretive and thick-skinned. This portrayal was great in the movie, but really he plays this same character in almost every part he’s in.

It’s the same for Brolin. His jovial but serious attitude is resonant of previous work.

Blunt stole the show with her emotional bravado. In the male-dominated world of federal enforcements agencies, she holds her own without compromising her ability to empathize with anybody for any reason.

Hopefully, this role shows that she is serious about becoming a staple on the dramatic stage. She was great in comedic roles like “The Devil Wears Prada,” and stellar in action flick “The Edge of Tomorrow.”

Blunt was snubbed last year at the Academy Awards for her role in “Into the Woods,” but with this part, she surely deserves a nomination.

Overall, “Sicario” was a great, cerebral work that further highlights the drug wars across our borders. It’s a must-see for people who love real life issues brought to screen, and a definitely gem to add to the resumés of all those involved.