Eastern Promises

By Cyril Pearl -- Video Business, 12/17/2007

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> David Cronenberg’s tough crime drama stars Viggo Mortensen as a Russian mobster.

The second collaboration between filmmaker David Cronenberg and actor Viggo Mortensen (the first was 2005’s outstanding A History of Violence) is this tough crime drama about a Russian mobster (Mortensen) and a British midwife (Naomi Watts), who gets involved with him after she saves the baby of a young Russian prostitute who dies during its delivery. The film features vividly drawn characters, a serpentine story line, shocking moments of extreme violence and an outstanding cast of players, which also includes Armin Mueller-Stahl as a seemingly benign Russian Mob boss and Vincent Cassel as his troubled son. Eastern Promises is yet another small but hard-hitting and memorable drama from Cronenberg, who continues to work wonders with his carefully chosen source material.

Shelf Talk: Cronenberg has a core group of followers who are undoubtedly already talking about Eastern Promises to the uninitiated, so there should be some immediate interest upon its release. Mortensen also has his devoted fans, and they’ll be on board for this one. (The fact that one of the film’s key scenes finds him naked in a Russian steam bath fighting a pair of knife-wielding assassins could also draw in the curious.) Eastern Promises has picked up three Golden Globe nominations, including one for Best Motion Picture Drama and another for Mortensen. There’re sure to be more on the way, as well as critics’ awards and Top 10 List appearances, so be prepared.

Crime drama, color, R (mature themes, violence, language, sexual situations, nudity), 101 min., DVD $29.98, HD Combo $39.98
Extras: featurettes
Director: David Cronenberg
First Run: W, Sept. 2007, $17 mil.