On Johnny's suggestion (and of my interest, as well), Eastern Promises rose to the top of my "to-see" list this past week. I'll start with the punchline --- this is one of the best-made films of the year, certainly.
The nickel story -- Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen, played with excellent realism) is a small-time crook from the old country, now in London, who paid his dues in Russia and now is working his way through the vor v zakone (the Vori), run by Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl, also excellent as the menacing crime boss, as a pure incarnation of evil). Nikolai's entry in Semyon's son Kirill (Vincent Cassell the Frenchy from Ocean's Twelve, and the definition of sleaze), a somewhat stereotypical "Fredo" - he wants to be the big guy, but probably can't do it himself.
But this is not how we start. We start (after a graphic prelude) with the death of a Russian girl in childbirth, attended by Anna, a half-Russian midwife (Naomi Watts in a strong, if muted, role). Anna find the girl's diary, in which the card for Semyon's front/restaurant is. Anna goes in search of answers, specifically if there is a family where the girl's newborn daughter can be raised.
The story stirs like a good stew (the journalist in me wants to say borscht, but I will subdue the punnery). Nikolai and Anna keep meeting in scant chances, at Semyon's restaurant or as Nikolai plays Semyon's gopher. Kirill, in an attempt to make his way, is revealed to be the cause of the murder in the prelude, which leads to vengeance from the murdered's family. Nikolai demonstrates his strength to Semyon, who uses it to his advantage but against Nikolai's as well. This continues to build to a climax of sorts -- not the fantastic finale of "A History of Violence," but a very fitting pause in the action, as life must go on after this pause.
There is some vagueness to my description, but the fact is, the story melds so well, and Cronenberg did such a good job of keeping the story out of the media, that I don't want to spoil your surprise. The most impressive part of the story --- which also caught me very early in the screening -- is the conciseness of the tale, the efficiency. The characters all have backstories -- Anna, a midwife recently out of a relationship, with her English mother and Russian uncle; Kirrill, whose emotions towards his father and Nikolai simmer without overtness but without subtlety; and Nikolai, the mysterious dark figure who is something more than his tattoos decry. But we hear just enough about these backstories to allow the picture to be painted. Steven Knight, whose best-known prior work was the equally exquisite Dirty Pretty Things, deserves the credit here, repeating his unfolding of the grimy underside of London and its inhabitants.
On the acting, all do their part with care and realism. The story is truly Mortensen's -- it is said he traveled to Russia to meet with the mob, to learn about the tattoo's and the culture. He is able to play this sordid character with full energy, an ironic term here as the character recurrently says "I am driver" as an out to his own complicity. As I said before, Mueller-Stahl (surprisingly not billed above the title) plays this monster with a quiet burn, like a radiator that seems innocent on appearance but will sear your flesh if contact is made. Watts does well with her direction -- Anna is the strong character Knight appreciates in his stories -- but Cronenberg does make her a less-vigorous character. She is certainly present, but more as a contrast to what Nikolai must do in his tale. I say this not as a detraction to her character or story, but as a fact.
Cronenberg, whose early work included Rabid, with Marilyn Chambers, and The Fly, has been moving the mainstream closer to his work with time. He has not become mainstream, mind you -- the attack scenes in this and A History of Violence attest to that -- but his work is certainly more accessible to more audiences. Not for youngsters, certainly, and this film does require a maturity to appreciate. But I do hope the Academy does not forget this work in a few months' time.
Go see this.
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