"I was watching 'Miami Vice' the other night," he told Adam Nayman of Toronto's Eye Weekly, "and I realized I'm not interested in the mechanics of the mob, but criminality and people who live in a state of perpetual transgression -- that is interesting to me.". Their story puts their characters to a test: They can be true to their job descriptions within a hermetically sealed world where everyone shares the same values and expectations, and where outsiders are by definition the prey. [After rapping on a body stored in a freezer] Do you have hair dryer? Cinemark Although overflowing with violence, this is nonetheless a creative masterpiece. Semyon has a vile son named Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and a violent but loyal driver and bodyguard, Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). "Eastern Promises" is no ordinary crime thriller, just as Cronenberg is no ordinary director. Such are the actual subtleties of Mortensen's performance - the odd sardonic smile; the slight tightening of a look - you're aware, from the off, that what he is on the outside might not have anything to do with what he is on the inside. |, October 12, 2018 An eccentric filmmaker who became known for trippy reality-bending horror and sci-fi works like The Fly and Videodrome , Cronenberg has spent much of his sporadic 40-year career on unusual material that keeps him off cinema's mainstream radar. |, October 2, 2017 The script is by Steven Knight, author of the powerful "Dirty Pretty Things" (2002), about a black market in body parts. close(x) Help kids deal with news coverage of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. | Rating: 3/5 And to me as well. A rhapsodic movie directed with considerable formal intelligence and brooding power from an original screenplay by Steve Knight, Eastern Promises is very much a companion to "A History of Violence." Compelling but brutal mafia film for adults only. Despite Viggo's total gorgeousness, a nude fight-for-his-life in a steam room has all the titillation of a butcher throwing down a slab of meat. The head of the family is Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl), a man with a cute, peaceful exterior and a sinister heart. Eastern Promises movie reviews & Metacritic score: The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". | Rating: 3/5, October 26, 2007 Rock'n'Roll Read Common Sense Media's Eastern Promises review, age rating, and parents guide. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Full Review. Few people are quite as they seem—a musing on relativism and the line between good and evil found in one man (Nikolai) and, by extension, every man. Eastern Promises is a fascinating case of a film made under the intense gaze of a supreme auteur and written by the separate but equally potent hand of a writer. Mark Walker. |, June 5, 2019 R (Nudity|Language|Some Graphic Sexuality|Strong Bloody Violence|Strong Brutal Violence), crime, With Naomi Watts, Viggo Mortensen, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Josef Altin. Eastern Promises is a fascinating case of a film made under the intense gaze of a supreme auteur and written by the separate but equally potent hand of a writer. With memorable performances from its cast, especially that of Viggo Mortensen in a finely tuned performance that is menacing, cold blooded, this ranks also as one of his most intense yet. By Total Film 26 October 2007. Up until then, however, it's a brutal and punishing crime yarn that hits many a strong note and breathes new life into the mob film. And the gears of the story shift into place when the diary, the midwife and the crime family become interlocked. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Plot: Deeply affected by the death of a Russian teenager in childbirth, nurse Anna (Naomi Watts) takes it upon herself to find her family and save the baby from foster care. Coming Soon, Regal Eastern Promises is a congealed story involving a Russian crime family that have taken their base of operations to London, under the guise of an classy restaurant, Trans-Siberian. Literally. |, October 26, 2007 This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. It's arguably both Cronenberg and Mortensen's finest work. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. There was a big surprise in "A History of Violence" that pretty much everybody entering the theater already knew. No, Mortensen is not Russian, but don't even think about the problem of an accent; he digs so deeply into the role you may not recognize him at first. |, August 24, 2017 | Fresh (179) Bearing the trademarks of psychological drama and gritty violence, Eastern Promises is a very compelling crime story. It's that way with stories about plausible human beings, which is why I prefer them to stories about characters who are simply elements in fiction. | Top Critics (58) Don't have an account? Anna (Watts) senses she can trust Nikolai, too, even though it is established early that this tattooed warrior is capable of astonishing violence. He is correct that it would be fatal, because this is not a movie of what or how, but of why. The actors and the characters merge and form a reality above and apart from the story, and the result is a film that takes us beyond crime and London and the Russian mafia and into the mystifying realms of human nature. Hmm..once again, I thought I had reviewed this ages ago. The gangsters of this story have to earn their positions and their stripes which are represented in tattoo form and by doing so, brings forth an genuine air of mystery and intrigue to the characters. Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is both ruthless and mysterious, has ties to one of the most dangerous crime families in London. It is the second death that also brings the birth of this young lady's child that will become the focus of the film because the dead mother left behind a diary, albeit in Russian. Was it as exhilarating as a stiff neat vodka, or about as exciting as a can of shandy? With a brilliant cast of actors, Cronenberg does a great job at crafting a stunning picture that proves that he is able to make something other than a horror film. The slashing need not immediately concern us. What the director and writer do here is not unfold a plot, but flay the skin from a hidden world. “Eastern Promises” is itself an intriguing, not always stable mixture of moods and attitudes. The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. And what if they do? |, May 1, 2008 This is a solid film that is sure to please fans of Cronenberg's work, even if it's not a horror film, which is what he's most famous for, Eastern Promises is a taut, exciting picture that steadily unravels before you, and you simply cannot look away as it's truly an intriguing picture from start to finish. Top ten lists |, November 24, 2020 In fact, her entry into that world has driven a wedge into it that sets everybody at odds and challenges long-held assumptions. Cronenberg's direction is immaculate and he crafts a fine picture with Eastern Promises. The teenage girl who hemorrhages is raced to a hospital and dies in childbirth in the arms of a midwife named Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts). Online reviewers have written 912 reviews, giving Eastern Promises (2007) an average rating of 77%. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Her uncle begs her to go nowhere near that world. Overall, cinema-goers and film critics broadly agree on the merits of the movie, with critics giving it an average score of 79% and users giving an average score of 81%. The film has a very good story that is complimented by the performances of its actors, and it's a movie that is steadily paced and takes it's time for the story to unfold, therefore it's a movie that you are invested it more often than not because you are hooked at will happen next. She is rushed to the hospital; too late to save her, but midwife Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts) delivers the baby, alive. You're almost there! And for a long time you don't see the why coming. Viggo Mortensen has an intriguingly reserved performance that added a great deal to the film's effectiveness. Sign up here. | Rating: 8/10 Reserve a table at Eastern Promise, Jakarta on Tripadvisor: See 189 unbiased reviews of Eastern Promise, rated 3.5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #338 of 9,686 restaurants in Jakarta. Definitely worth seeing, even if it lacks some of the punch that the typical gangster film delivers. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. D avid Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises is a straighter version of Inland Empire, which isn’t to say that it isn’t totally queer.David Cronenberg’s new film is the story of a woman in trouble: Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts), a London midwife who becomes obsessed with finding the family of a 14-year-old prostitute who dies after delivering a child under her watch. What Eastern Promises deals in is humanity and how it is a senseless, jolting dance at times and a ballet at others. It wasn't the horror or dark science fiction that many had come to know him by, but an arresting thriller that was actually based on a graphic novel. | Rating: 3.5/4 Coming Soon. and the Terms and Policies, Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. We are reminded of Don Corleone's trust in an outsider, Tom Hagen, over his own sons, Sonny and Fredo. mystery and thriller, The story begins violently, first with a murder, then with the death of a teenage prostitute mother. By Chris Cabin. Everything that is presented on-screen is near perfection, and it ranks among Cronenberg's most memorable films in the last few years. With access to the girl's diary, Anna is led to Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl), the owner of a Trans-Siberian restaurant. Although relentlessly gripping, the film is more interesting than it is satisfying, let down by the script. Eastern Promises is an engrossing, technically well-made film—a dark and twisting story with an unexpected ending and even touches of morality. Like the Corleone family, but with a less wise and more fearsome patriarch, the Vory V Zakone family of the Russian mafia operates in the shadows of legitimate business -- in this case, a popular restaurant. At a time when movie "fight scenes" are as routine as the dances in musicals, Nikolai engages in a fight in this film that sets the same kind of standard that "The French Connection" set for chases. Regal The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher. I write little about casting directors, because I can't know what really goes on, and of course directors make the final choice for key roles. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, Best Netflix Shows and Series To Binge (January 2021), The 100 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (January 2021), 100 Best Movies on Amazon Prime To Watch (January 2021). and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Despite the violence, the adult scenes, the bad language and the general theme of the film i don't see a problem with it for mature teens because it is not a 'scary' film.The story can be difficult to follow and there are very few subtitles even when English is not being spoken. Another vanishing review. When you think of a mob movie, your memory will most likely be jogged to the glamorously brutal Italian American variety. Eastern Promises This film is one of my favourites. Sometimes, if things are closed, you just, open them up. What did you think of Eastern Promises? When we speak of mystery and intrigue, Mortensen's loyal driver Nikolai is the epitome of it. Cronenberg has said he's not interested in crime stories as themselves. Eastern Promises is the latest effort from acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg, whose recent work has elevated his status from that of a cult figure to someone in the mainstrem. Eastern Promises is a visceral Thriller that is both brutal and beautiful in the sense that what Cronenberg has created here is simply a superb piece of cinema. Here, too. Eastern Promises review. But whatever Deirdre Bowen and Nina Gold had to do with the choices in this movie, including what might seem the unlikely choice of Mortensen, was pitch-perfect. Jan 22, 2008. It was a big success and, two years later, led to Cronenberg sticking with his leading man Viggo Mortensen and attempting something similar with Eastern Promises. Cronenbergs vision of a grimy London is great, this isn't a glossy … David Cronenberg triumphs again, showcasing the Viggo Mortensen's onscreen prowess in a daring performance. There is also a brutal knife fight where a completely nude Nikolai must fight off two big knife-wielding assailants. IGN's Oscar Picks. We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. An orphaned baby's mother leaves behind a diary with all kinds of mafia secrets which is discovered and for some reason allowed to remain in the possession of the nurse on duty at the time (Naomi Watts) instead of the police. Where the film is slightly let down is in its rushed denouement. Jan 18, 2008. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. The Oscar Noms Revealed. Eastern Promises HD DVD Combo Review. Do they still possess fugitive feelings instilled by a long-forgotten babushka? Years from now, it will be referred to as a benchmark. Directed by David Cronenberg. "Just don't give the plot away," Cronenberg begged in that interview. Golden lamps, scimitars, tanned looking dancers in airy clothing, camels, wads of cash! With Eastern Promises, though, Cronenberg decides to focus on the Russian mafia operating from a restaurant in the drab, Hackney borough of London. David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" opens with a throat-slashing and a young woman collapsing in blood in a drugstore, and connects these events with a descent into an underground of Russians who have immigrated to London and brought their crime family with them. Naomi Watts, playing an Anglicized second-generation immigrant, has no idea at first what she has gotten herself into, and why the diary is of vital importance to these people. | Rating: B- All Critics (201) Knight throws in a twist that scrambles the movie's moral compass so late in the game, so perfunctorily and so pointlessly, as to render any final reckoning incoherent. Eastern Promises Review. Coming Soon. | Rotten (22). But what happens when their cocoon is broached? All she cares about is the baby, but she learns fast that the baby's life and her own are both at great risk. Cinemark 'Eastern Promises' features a DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that, like its HD DVD counterpart's TrueHD mix, does an impressive job enriching the film's subtle soundscape. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Dec 13, … Its subtext, which is about sex and violence and the way one often dovetails with the other, and the skill of its making, render it gripping enough. Eastern Promises Band, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Canada. A solid gangster film with some fresh (and some cliched) messages. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. 8. Here Semyon depends on Nikolai more than Kirill, who has an ugly streak that sometimes interferes with the orderly conduct of business. |, With A History of Violence in 2005, David Cronenberg seemed to take his career in a more mainstream direction. The problem primarily lies with Steve Knight’s overly schematic screenplay. Forgot your password? Semyon isn't the endearing character that he makes out, however, and the closer Anna gets to the girls story, the closer she gets to the enigmatic 'driver' Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen) and the bloody underworld of the Russian Mafia. | Rating: 5/5 We're in London and the streets look like they are owned and operated by Beelzebub himself. I can't become king if someone else already sits on the throne. But "Eastern Promises" had its world premiere Saturday at the Toronto Film Festival and opens today in major North American markets; I have studied its trailer, and it doesn't give away a hint of its central business. So let's leave it that way and simply regard the performances. A viceral, stylish and compelling story that benefits greatly from masterful acting. In Eastern Promises, shot to envelop by the great Peter Suschitzky, Cronenberg brings us face to face with the horror of self. Feb 21, 2008. | Rating: 3/5 You may even consider the violent Cuban's of DePalma's Scarface and the Puerto Rican's of Carlito's Way or perhaps the Irish goons from The Coen brothers Miller's Crossing. Eastern Promises is a criminally underrated film which i personally think should be mentioned more when talking about crime/gangster films. 28 likes. He's fascinated by the worlds within the London world. It's an absolutely captivating performance which rightly gained him his first (and long overdue) Oscar nomination with his involvement in a steam-room brawl worth the nomination alone. An intricate and mesmerizing thriller, featuring stellar performances (especially by Mortensen, who gives the bravest performance of his career) and an excellent script by Steven Knight. Read full review In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. He's not overly concerned with the plot itself. Eastern Promises Blu-ray Review. EASTERN PROMISES is a powerful thriller with some uplifting moral qualities, but it is R-rated. Not only is it a great crime film, it is also a great character study. Rated R This is the master stoke of the film. |, July 14, 2011 For the most part, it revels in a particular pace, but when it's drawing to a close it feels muddled and determined to finish within a particular running time. Read Common Sense Media's Eastern Promises review, age rating, and parents guide. Cronenberg is his own master, still ready to throw in the sort of scene few other directors could dare. And Cronenberg knows it. Coming Soon. Eastern Promises is a visceral Thriller that is both brutal and beautiful in the sense that what Cronenberg has created here is simply a superb piece of cinema. Even if it lacks some of the story begins violently, first a... Of Don Corleone 's trust in an outsider, Tom Hagen, over his own sons, and. 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