Eastern Promises (2007)

Posted : 10 months, 2 weeks ago at Dec 26 19:34

The recent David Cronenberg/Viggo Mortensen partnership has spawned two films and Eastern Promises is the one I saw first. It was really a case of not having any solid expectations, but literally thinking that a disappointment was not mathematically possible from this director/actor combination. I was very surprised how lowly I had to rate this film at the end. Eastern Promises is a rare cinematic look at the Russian mob involvement in London. After the tragic death of a 14-year-old prostitute during childbirth, the midwife attending, Anna (Naomi Watts), finds a diary amongst her personal effects. Seeking to translate the Russian scribbles, she approaches the owner of a Trans-Siberian restaurant, the address of which she also finds in the diary. At first charming, the restaurant owner ...Read more

Rating : 6/10

Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago at Sep 28 20:54

"It's always good to have someone who I can trust, to do simple tasks. In this business, sometimes the biggest danger comes from the most stupid things." Eastern Promises denotes the second of consecutive films featuring the creative partnership of director David Cronenberg and actor Viggo Mortensen. Cronenberg is no stranger to controversy due to his unique filmography. Crash, The Fly, Videodrome and the recent A History of Violence are just a few entries on Cronenberg's résumé. Each new film further demonstrates the director's willingness to display graphic violence and/or nudity. Following the critical and commercial success of A History of Violence, Cronenberg returns with Eastern Promises: this dark, gripping, powerful crime thriller. This film tackles the subject of the Russian ...Read more

Posted : 2 years, 1 month ago at Sep 29 19:59

I really liked his last movie "A History of Violence" and was looking forward to this movie especially when Mortenson signed on again to lead. I wasn't disappointed and had a really great night out. (It was a pretty good birthday present to myself.) One of the reasons I wanted to watch it was because of an article I read about the tatoos that were on the characters. Apparently in the Russian mafia your life history is inked into your body. Reading that article made a connection to the characters that I wouldn't have had and an understanding of the importance of the tatoos that Mortenson gets in the movie. The twist in the movie wasn't really that much of surprise if you are paying attention. It doesn't take away from the excellent acting and a very good story. I love watching m...Read more

Rating : 8/10

Posted : 2 years, 1 month ago at Sep 29 17:17

I haven't written a review in a while, but felt compelled to for Eastern Promises, a film I had no knowledge about before heading into the theater last night. In fact, the only reason my girlfriend and I watched it last night was because the theater complex was being renovated and only had 3 movies playing on a Friday night! After the first half hour, I noticed the big named stars, Viggo Mortensen as a convincing Russian driver/gangster speaking in a perfect accent. Cue in Naomi Watts in another solid, though not particularly spectacular portrayal as a concerned hospital worker trying to figure out the story behind a raped girl's sudden death. If you've read anything about this movie so far, you'll probably read that it has a twist at the end that left some viewers confused or even...Read more

Rating : 10/10