Eastern Promises

Without being Russian or having any kind of exposure to the Russian mob, it is hard to know precisely how convincing Viggo Mortensen is in this, but if he's anywhere near as convincing as I think he is, then he's delivered a simply stunning turn in David Cronenberg's new film.

Cronenberg's follow-up to the equally bloody A History of Violence swaps middle America for London but the lead is the same. Mortensen, who certainly gained some critical notices for his turn in Violence, goes one or better (actually more like ten or twenty) here as the driver for a Russian family, one of the most powerful criminal families in Europe. His character though has a gravitas that betrays his lowly position as a a humble chauffeur and in that respect it nicely mirrors the secrets hidden within Mortensen's Tom Stall, who's modest countenance in Violence masked something much darker.

The plot, whilst elegantly simple, is actually not easy to describe as it feels a disservice to strip the film down to a choice couple of lines for a synopsis. This is a film not so much driven by plot but by character, and with Cassel, Watts and Mueller-Stahl you have 3 actors who are able to bring out the best in their respective roles. Jerzy Skolimowski and Sinead Cusack also provide able support but this film owes so much to it's stupendously engaging lead. Mortensen inhabits his role so precisely that every mannerism, every movement and every line he speaks is disguised in his heavily tattooed, heavily accented form. In lesser hands an actor would have taken this role and spent the film chewing the scenery and hamming it up to the max. Not here though. Mortensen delivers a subtle and nuanced performance that is the best of his career.

A-