Eastern Promises (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Sidenote: It was my great pleasure to be sitting next to an intelligent movie-going woman at my viewing of 'Eastern Promises' this evening. You know who you are {winks}. Thank you for your generous opinions, astute cinematic/literary knowledge, and congenial company.
Ahh, Autumn. Death is signified, but it's the time when sophisticated cinema comes to life. 'Eastern Promises' is a ruthless mystery/thriller directed by David Cronenberg. This film follows the mysterious Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen), a chauffeur for the Russian mob in London. Being 'just a driver', Nikolai is able to see & hear many nefarious things that cross his path. Enter Anna (a stellar Naomi Watts), a London hospital's midwife who accidentally uncovers a secret which would implicate the leader of the Vory V Zakone mob, Semyon (the terrifying Armin Mueller-Stahl). This sets Nikolai in motion to kill, lie, & right some wrongs. For me, Cronenberg's A History of Violence was a colossal miss. Emotionally disturbing, intricate & better executed, this film is infinitely superior.
After witnessing the death of a 14 yr. old girl who dies while giving birth, Anna begins a search for the girl's name & family. She doesn't realize that her search will lead her directly into a dark, dangerous, Russian crime circle (and underground sex-trafficking business). Once inside a seemingly safe Russian restaurant (headquarters for the mob), Anna encounters Semyon, who 'appears' to be level-headed, grandfatherly, & wise. For reasons unknown to Anna, Semyon is desperate to retrieve the diary of Tatiana, the 14 yr. old who died on the delivery table. Meanwhile, Nikolai has the daunting task of keeping Semyon's creepy, volatile son, Kirill (an exceptional Vincent Cassel), in check. Kirill considers Nikolai to be a brother, & is closer to him than his own disdainful father.
While Nikolai quietly goes about his job (you know, driving ... and dissecting corpses for Kirill's dirty work), Anna seeks answers from the Russian-written diary. After transcribing it, Anna's Russian-born uncle (providing some rare moments of comic relief) actually tries to dissuade Anna for delving deeper into the mystery behind Tatiana's unfortunate death. Because of her innocent inquiries to the deceitful Semyon, Anna had unknowingly ignited a deadly plan (by the Vory V Zalkone) to do 'anything' to retrieve the incriminating diary. With Semyon & Kirill beginning to butt heads, the Russian gang being rustled, and Anna's sticky involvement ... Nikolai finds himself uncomfortable in a situation where loyalties are floundering. Will Kirill attempt to dethrone his father as King of the underworld? Whose lives hang in the balance? Not being what he initially 'seems', will we ever discover Nikolai's true nature? What secrets does he harbor?
To me, Cronenberg does a superior job at exploring the psyche & physicality of Mortensen's Nikolai than he does with Mortensen's Tom (in A History of Violence). You either like Cronenberg's icy, intentionally-paced style or you don't. It works here. And though there's more sex & violence in the former movie, it's allocated more appropriately in 'Eastern Promises'; it's less exploitative. The violence (severed necks, broken arms, knives to the head, etc.) reverberates the harrowing, murderous plot; there's just more at stake in this particular film. And still, behind the mafia violence is a layer of humanity. Who's good, who's bad, who will 'do' bad to 'be' good? It's all very subtle here; but highly entertaining, nevertheless. Throw in some unexpected plot twists & you've got a winner.
Let's talk about Viggo Mortensen's powerful, mesmerizing performance for a sec. By immersing himself in this role, we become immersed in the film. Viggo's verbal, physical (we all know about the shocking choreography of his naked fight scene), and nuanced performance is the best I've ever seen from him. Because of him (and the implications throughout the story), it's a film I won't soon forget. Just as impressive is the grimy cinematography. The engrossing 'shower scene' is used effectively to quicken your heartbeat, clutch your armrest, & catch your breath. The use of colors (maroons, grays, black) & rain-slickened streets, adds to the moodiness of it all. But it's the struggle between mind & body, trust & betrayal, and good & evil which grabs me. Is this the best gangster film ever? I doubt it. The last minute of the movie feels a bit tacked-on. But it doesn't discourage my overall impression of this fantastic, intense, deliberately deadpan mystery.
Ahh, Autumn. Death is signified, but it's the time when sophisticated cinema comes to life. 'Eastern Promises' is a ruthless mystery/thriller directed by David Cronenberg. This film follows the mysterious Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen), a chauffeur for the Russian mob in London. Being 'just a driver', Nikolai is able to see & hear many nefarious things that cross his path. Enter Anna (a stellar Naomi Watts), a London hospital's midwife who accidentally uncovers a secret which would implicate the leader of the Vory V Zakone mob, Semyon (the terrifying Armin Mueller-Stahl). This sets Nikolai in motion to kill, lie, & right some wrongs. For me, Cronenberg's A History of Violence was a colossal miss. Emotionally disturbing, intricate & better executed, this film is infinitely superior.
After witnessing the death of a 14 yr. old girl who dies while giving birth, Anna begins a search for the girl's name & family. She doesn't realize that her search will lead her directly into a dark, dangerous, Russian crime circle (and underground sex-trafficking business). Once inside a seemingly safe Russian restaurant (headquarters for the mob), Anna encounters Semyon, who 'appears' to be level-headed, grandfatherly, & wise. For reasons unknown to Anna, Semyon is desperate to retrieve the diary of Tatiana, the 14 yr. old who died on the delivery table. Meanwhile, Nikolai has the daunting task of keeping Semyon's creepy, volatile son, Kirill (an exceptional Vincent Cassel), in check. Kirill considers Nikolai to be a brother, & is closer to him than his own disdainful father.
While Nikolai quietly goes about his job (you know, driving ... and dissecting corpses for Kirill's dirty work), Anna seeks answers from the Russian-written diary. After transcribing it, Anna's Russian-born uncle (providing some rare moments of comic relief) actually tries to dissuade Anna for delving deeper into the mystery behind Tatiana's unfortunate death. Because of her innocent inquiries to the deceitful Semyon, Anna had unknowingly ignited a deadly plan (by the Vory V Zalkone) to do 'anything' to retrieve the incriminating diary. With Semyon & Kirill beginning to butt heads, the Russian gang being rustled, and Anna's sticky involvement ... Nikolai finds himself uncomfortable in a situation where loyalties are floundering. Will Kirill attempt to dethrone his father as King of the underworld? Whose lives hang in the balance? Not being what he initially 'seems', will we ever discover Nikolai's true nature? What secrets does he harbor?
To me, Cronenberg does a superior job at exploring the psyche & physicality of Mortensen's Nikolai than he does with Mortensen's Tom (in A History of Violence). You either like Cronenberg's icy, intentionally-paced style or you don't. It works here. And though there's more sex & violence in the former movie, it's allocated more appropriately in 'Eastern Promises'; it's less exploitative. The violence (severed necks, broken arms, knives to the head, etc.) reverberates the harrowing, murderous plot; there's just more at stake in this particular film. And still, behind the mafia violence is a layer of humanity. Who's good, who's bad, who will 'do' bad to 'be' good? It's all very subtle here; but highly entertaining, nevertheless. Throw in some unexpected plot twists & you've got a winner.
Let's talk about Viggo Mortensen's powerful, mesmerizing performance for a sec. By immersing himself in this role, we become immersed in the film. Viggo's verbal, physical (we all know about the shocking choreography of his naked fight scene), and nuanced performance is the best I've ever seen from him. Because of him (and the implications throughout the story), it's a film I won't soon forget. Just as impressive is the grimy cinematography. The engrossing 'shower scene' is used effectively to quicken your heartbeat, clutch your armrest, & catch your breath. The use of colors (maroons, grays, black) & rain-slickened streets, adds to the moodiness of it all. But it's the struggle between mind & body, trust & betrayal, and good & evil which grabs me. Is this the best gangster film ever? I doubt it. The last minute of the movie feels a bit tacked-on. But it doesn't discourage my overall impression of this fantastic, intense, deliberately deadpan mystery.