Review of The Two Faces of January (2014) by Erik D — 21 Mar 2016

I'd been wanting to watch another Viggo Mortensen movie for quite some time now and one appeared on Netflix the other night that sounded quite interesting. The Two Faces of January also stars KIrsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac (who coincidentally keeps showing up in movies I didn't know he was in) in a story set in Greece in 1962. Viggo and Kirsten are a couple on vacation who develop a strange relationship with their tour guide. They quickly become best friends and the couple ends up staying just a little bit longer. A major incident happens that cements the three as potential accomplices.. for a time.

The Two Faces of January was a smartly written and very real sort of thriller. The performances of all three stars were excellent and succeeded in capturing my complete attention to the point I forgot I was watching actors. The pacing of the plot made sure the film was never dull and the chemistry between all three was perfect. Viggo and Kirsten were an actual believable couple and you began to empathize with them up to a point.

I know a lot of people have not been big fans of Kirsten Dunst's movie career but trust me when I say that this film may be her best. If you want to see her in a truly excellent performance, you need to watch this film. The same goes for Viggo Mortensen who I'm glad to see is still turning out classics. I guess I need to stop saying Oscar Isaac surprised me with how good he was since he makes every single film better just by being in it. I need to stop writing anymore and just drive home the fact to all of you that you need to watch this film. The soundtrack, setting, and story are all excellent and there are surprises around every corner. This is such an underrated little gem.