Eastern Promises

Canadian director David Cronenberg’s latest film Eastern Promises, is another fabulous movie. It features Viggo Mortensen as a right hand man for the Russian mafia and Naomi Watts as a normal woman who becomes tangled in their dark world. After a young girl dies during pregnancy, Watts’ character wants to find the deceased’s relatives to give the child a home. She discovers the girl’s diary (in Russian) and traces the clues to the mob. The film is eerily intense at the most anti-climatic times, such as during the many conversations Watts has with the mob boss. The plot is terrific, and has Cronenberg all over it. However, the highlight is Viggo Mortensen’s fascinating character. This one of the few times where a character is actually more interesting then the actual story taking place. Thanks to Mortensen’s acting and brilliant writing, Eastern Promises offers one of the best mafia films and thrillers in recent years.