Eastern Promises and then some

[jim goulding]

Ok. I'm stumped. What is it about David Cronenberg, the director, that some people think is so cool. Saw History of Violence with Viggo and thought it was a good take on a old thread. Saw Crash and thought it was more a movie in search of a cult (this was before the big studios got interested in him) than having a message, altho I've read a couple of critics that tried to give it one. Just saw Eastern Promises (Viggo again). A good take on a old thread, all over. Sometimes you just have to go with it and see what gives. Just when it started to get interesting, it was over. For the fun of it, I put on Collateral last night of as a way to compare style. Maybe that's all I should be expecting, huh? Michael Mann directed that. Pretty silly premise but, man oh man (to include Autumn euphemistically), what a beautiful picture! Deeply saturated colors and definition. The Coen Bros rule in my estimation for content and originality. So, Peruvian, someone, enlighten me!

[jim goulding]

Ok, Any comments on Collateral?

[johnny p]

I just watched Eastern Promises last night, and I enjoyed it. I think it was a little too predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Groundbeef]

I thought History of Violence SUCKED. I really like Viggo, but that film about ended that. Bad acting, (think son, and wife), terrible writing (on par with Star Wars, very stilted and overwrought), and totally predictable.

If Eastern Promises is anything like it, I'm staying away.

[topspeed]

I saw Eastern Promises the other night and was left completely unfullfilled. The end was anything but. I have no problem with movie endings that leave the audience wondering a bit, but this movie had me asking WTF?!? As for cinematography, this was a pretty bleak picture painted by Cronenberg. Not particularly stimulating from a visual, intellectual, or emotional standpoint. A definite "Meh..."

Collateral was by far a more intriguing movie (great soundtrack, too). Better characters, better pacing, more interesting to look at. That said, I do like most of Mann's movies (Manhunter, Heat, The Insider) so consider me biased.

[bobsticks]

I have few memories of History of Violence which tells me I didn't care for it too much. Hence, I have avoided Eastern Promises, besides this time of year I have unopened movies piled up so I don't take too many chances.

Loved Collateral though. I too am a Michael Mann fan and generally am fairly receptive to his work. The man definetely has his own stylistic nuances with some witty banter to boot.

MAX: You like being a lawyer?
ANNIE: You psychic?

MAX: I'm starting an 800 hotline. Caught your phone call. And even if I hadn't, there's the dark pinstripe. Elegant, not too hip, which rules out advertising, plus a top drawer briefcase, that you live out of, purse looks like a Bodega...

ANNIE: Bottega.

MAX: ...Bottega. Guy gets in my cab with a machete? I figure he's a sushi chef. You? Clarence Darrow


Good stuff

[Gerald Cooperberg]

The tone of Eastern Promises was just a little too dark and brutal for me, but you've got to admire any film that plays at yr local multiplex and also features a prolonged nude knife fight as one of its key scenes.

Personally, I just couldn't buy Vincent Cassell as a Russian.

-Coop

[johnny p]

just watched History of Violence last night...... great premise, but aside from Mortenson, the acting was pretty terrible, and a lot of flat spots in the plot.

[nightflier]

Hey you guys are ruining this one for me - it's been on my list to see and now I'm not so sure... I do think Vigo is an interesting actor, he definitely has that brooding Strider / Ranger look that I think they tried to capture in History of Violence, but for that you also need better writing and directing, which that movie didn't have at all, so I blame it on the director as much as Vigo's agent, who doesn't seem to be able to find him too many fitting roles (think Hidalgo). I didn't see Alatriste, but that is also on my list.

Collateral was priceless. I saw it without knowing anything about it on opening night and was very impressed. It was fast paced all the way through. Although the ending was your typical run-of-the-mill-tie-up-the-knots-Hollywood-formula happy ending, the rest of the movie was great. At the end, I was secretly hoping Vincent would succeed just to give it an actually believable ending and to piss off the critics, but that probably would have been too un-American, I think.

[jim goulding]

Got to differ with you guys on Maria Bello's acting in History of Violence. When it was time for her to get serious, I was convinced that she could be a badass real quick! And there was a realness and grit to her passion in the sex scenes. She was maybe even too forceful! There is a scene in The Cooler where Alec Baldwin gives her a brutal beating. The director knew what he was doing by letting her stay on camera for the period that followed. I could feel her pain and her predicament cause she communicated so well in the scene..

[Groundbeef]

Got to differ with you guys on Maria Bello's acting in History of Violence. When it was time for her to get serious, I was convinced that she could be a badass real quick! And there was a realness and grit to her passion in the sex scenes. She was maybe even too forceful! There is a scene in The Cooler where Alec Baldwin gives her a brutal beating. The director knew what he was doing by letting her stay on camera for the period that followed. I could feel her pain and her predicament cause she communicated so well in the scene..

Sorry, the hamfisted dialog, and piss poor acting by the "son" totally took away any sense of realness to the film. Even Vigo's writing was stiff, and predictable.

It was a story with alot of potential, and very little in the way of actual substance.

[nightflier]

Got to differ with you guys on Maria Bello's acting in History of Violence. When it was time for her to get serious, I was convinced that she could be a badass real quick! And there was a realness and grit to her passion in the sex scenes. She was maybe even too forceful! There is a scene in The Cooler where Alec Baldwin gives her a brutal beating. The director knew what he was doing by letting her stay on camera for the period that followed. I could feel her pain and her predicament cause she communicated so well in the scene..

I agree that Bello was pretty good in both History and Cooler. She's not the kind of actress to get much of any spotlight, but she deserves more. I also think that Harris did an OK job in History, although Hurt wasn't believeable at all, IMO.

'Haven't seen Eastern Promises, but it's sitting on my coffee table. I may see it in the next week or so.

[nightflier]

Correction, I finally saw Eastern Promises a couple of nights ago. I actually thought it was very well done. I'm still not so sure that Strider-Aragorn can pull off the role of a hardened Russian mobster, but Watts and Mueller-Stahl were top notch. I also had a hard time seeing Cassel in anything non-French, but he sure can act a good a-hole (see Brotherhood of the Wolf - another great film). Promises was a bit weak in the ending, but that made it more believable in my book. I also appreciate the realism in the violence - yes, if you get cut across the chest, you won't be coming back up Rambo-like to kick more a$$.

All in all, I liked History of Violence more, but I can't quite figure out why.