Spring Break
New mob film Oscar ready
MANDY RODGERS
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Out & About
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Ever since "The Godfather" saga, audiences have had a storied love affair with mob bosses and crime families in cinema.
Verdict: Come Oscar season, this consuming character study will be showered with nominations.
"Eastern Promises," the recent People's Choice Award winner at the Toronto International Film Festival, is no exception to the rule.
This tale of murder and drama teams director David Cronenberg with Viggo Mortensen for the first time since their pairing in 2005's "A History of Violence."
"Eastern Promises" revolves around Tatiana, a young pregnant girl who fatally hemorrhages in a local pharmacy and is rushed to the hospital. There, Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts) works as a midwife, delivers the newborn orphan and seeks a good home for the child.
The only identification of Tatiana is a small diary filled with her Russian writings and a card linking her to a restaurant owned by Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl), head of the London sect of the infamous crime group Vory V Zakone.
Anna's search for the child's family leads her to the restaurant, where she also meets Nikolai Luzhin (Mortensen). Nikolai begins as nothing more than the family's driver but quickly gains plot importance as Semyon's son (Vincent Cassel) spirals out of control.
This surface level simplicity of the plot is spiked with a few sharp twists and intense scenes, forcing the audience to hold its breath along with the characters.
In perfect contrast, the film also brings many quiet moments to the screen, and Howard Shore's hauntingly beautiful score perfectly weaves the two sides of the story together.
Mortensen carries the film and easily slides into the role of the mysterious Nikolai, brilliantly mastering a Russian accent and subtle emotions that sell his criminal character.
With his enigmatic presence, Cassel steals scenes as the epitome of a screw-up son who can't handle the money and power given to him, while Watts again proves she can hold her own against the men and shines in the nurturing role of the film.
The slow editing and careful direction never bore with Steven Knight's powerful writing and raw dialogue.
"Eastern Promises" leaves you wanting a little more and also feeling fulfilled at the same time - a perfect combination for this surefire winner.
EASTERN PROMISES
Grade: AVerdict: Come Oscar season, this consuming character study will be showered with nominations.
"Eastern Promises," the recent People's Choice Award winner at the Toronto International Film Festival, is no exception to the rule.
This tale of murder and drama teams director David Cronenberg with Viggo Mortensen for the first time since their pairing in 2005's "A History of Violence."
"Eastern Promises" revolves around Tatiana, a young pregnant girl who fatally hemorrhages in a local pharmacy and is rushed to the hospital. There, Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts) works as a midwife, delivers the newborn orphan and seeks a good home for the child.
The only identification of Tatiana is a small diary filled with her Russian writings and a card linking her to a restaurant owned by Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl), head of the London sect of the infamous crime group Vory V Zakone.
Anna's search for the child's family leads her to the restaurant, where she also meets Nikolai Luzhin (Mortensen). Nikolai begins as nothing more than the family's driver but quickly gains plot importance as Semyon's son (Vincent Cassel) spirals out of control.
This surface level simplicity of the plot is spiked with a few sharp twists and intense scenes, forcing the audience to hold its breath along with the characters.
In perfect contrast, the film also brings many quiet moments to the screen, and Howard Shore's hauntingly beautiful score perfectly weaves the two sides of the story together.
Mortensen carries the film and easily slides into the role of the mysterious Nikolai, brilliantly mastering a Russian accent and subtle emotions that sell his criminal character.
With his enigmatic presence, Cassel steals scenes as the epitome of a screw-up son who can't handle the money and power given to him, while Watts again proves she can hold her own against the men and shines in the nurturing role of the film.
The slow editing and careful direction never bore with Steven Knight's powerful writing and raw dialogue.
"Eastern Promises" leaves you wanting a little more and also feeling fulfilled at the same time - a perfect combination for this surefire winner.
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