Eastern Promises

Good advice is better than gold - and believe me this is a good maxim to follow. The second picture by the “new", more approachable Cronenberg is in many ways like the first. And in many ways it is a bit weird. A movie about Russians where they speak, sing and everything else in Russian. However not a single Slav figures in the international cast. As a result it is conspicuous in the intonation, like it or not. It’s not exactly that dumb Hollywood idea of an affected Russian accent, but still. On the other hand, you might not notice, because otherwise the actors are utterly convincing. Not just Mortensen or Cassel, but also the absolutely perfect Armin Mueller-Stahl. But still, it was Viggo who left me with the deepest impression. His calm, confident demeanor speaks volumes. When he makes that gestures toward his uncle in front of the restaurant, you know that if you were there you would never leave the house again and couldn’t look forward to a good night’s sleep for the foreseeable future. The fight in the spa that everybody is raving about it simply... Realistically powerful. But what brings the movie down most is the rather surprising plot. The entire storyline with Naomi Watts is interesting, but seems added on later. Even the sudden ending is untraditional, but... And that’s precisely it. Eastern Promises have rather too many of those for my taste. I’m not saying that this isn’t a very good movie, but just that it could have been better. Considerably better. (10/01/2008)

Despite its simple plot, this impressive, small-scale intimate drama left a stronger impression on me than the spectacular American Gangster. Eastern Promises is a sophisticated film affair for the non-popcorn viewer, in which everything fits together like the cogs in Viggo Mortensen’s ten-thousand-dollar wristwatch. Supported by fantastic actors, David Cronenberg confirms his mastery in terms of creating characters. Mortensen’s best performance so far. Also, the portrayal of the Russian mafia setting is incredibly powerful and authentic for the peace-loving Canadian Cronenberg. And as a bonus, there’s the excellent sauna scene that bears the director’s traditional signature. This is the best of Cronenberg’s last five films. (10/01/2008)

Cronenberg shines again! The guy's a genius. It's a gritty tale of crime and redemption with an unusual (hidden) tenderness. Cronenberg uses every possible allusion to develop the story. He draws us into the story, immerses us emotionally to the characters, who are not portrayed as either bad or good. And this is Cronenberg's masterful talent, to show us each character as he wishes, without any preconceived notion, and absentmindedly bringing the audience to play emotionally with them. The sauna scene is clearly the film's highlight. 75%. (05/01/2014)

Just when I thought I had Cronenberg figured out and not particularly inclined towards my taste, something like this comes along. While in A History of Violence he only touched on the gangsters and wrapped the whole story in somewhat unbelievable personal drama, Eastern Promises is a whole different story. Their simple yet sufficiently detailed story reveals both the complicated personal life of Anna and the hierarchy of a community where they speak with a very distinctive accent and secretly give dirty orders. Thanks to Mortensen's perfect performance, the viewer doesn't escape from that evil and chilling world for even a minute. (07/02/2008)

Cronenberg left the fantasy world of human obsessions for good and began to explore ordinary people in liminal situations. The synopsis of Russian gangsters in London smacked of fake nasal accents and litres of vodka, and yet the result is more about the confrontation of different worlds. When we enter it, we can't get out, whether it’s the mafia driver with a secret, the nurse with an internal stigma, or the Ukrainian emigrant playing the involuntary role of a prostitute. It's gripping in moments and emotionally fulfilling on the whole, though the epilogue could be explored for long moments. And as paradoxical as it sounds, Eastern Promises is a very different alternative to Love Actually as a London Christmas film. 4 ½. (20/12/2007)