Review of The Two Faces of January (2014) by Adlai N — 31 May 2015

It's rare for a film to not only look gorgeous but have characters that are very engaging. The Two Faces Of January is a slow burner of a thriller where the acting as well as the scenery is front and center. The joy of this movie is that there is plenty to marvel at, while not being so overbearingly loud that one element overrides the other. It's a harmonious relationship where everything simmers with passion and heat, broiling the screen with much fervor.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith, Chester (Viggo Mortensen) and Colette MacFarland (Kirsten Dunst) are a married affluent couple, looking gorgeous in white clad outfits, touring Europe in 1962. Chester is a big time swindler and hiding out overseas. Now in Greece, they meet and befriend a young and attractive tour guide and con man Rydal (Oscar Issac) who hopes to swindle the couple as well as charming the beautiful Colette. One fateful night, a murder is placed at the hands of Chester who requests the help of Rydal. Now all three are on the run for the murder and hope to escape the country with new lives intact while dealing with the paranoia, trust and betrayal that will infect and possibly destroy them all.

The acting from the trio was stupendous all around, where everyone had a great camaraderie with one another as well as tit for tat dialogue and character motivations. All three were properly set up and allowed to present who they are as the movie progressed. It is only till the very end does you see the full picture of these sordid characters. Mortensen was downright magnetic as the swindler on the run and oozed steamy cool. It's by far one of his most underrated performances and harkens back to his role in A History Of Violence, another dreary crime tale where a man is living a double life. He gets increasingly more frantic as the film goes on and you see how dynamic of an actor and character Mortensen and Chester really are. He travels through a convoluted weave of emotions and motivations that make it hard how he will react next. Trying to figure out how he will get out of this ugly situation and deal with an attractive con man that has eyes for his wife makes for electric viewing.

Dunst played the dutiful wife who is stuck between two different men very well. Rydal possibly portrays the man that Colette would be with if it weren't for her situation with Chester. The young Rydal presents another option that looks to be more exciting against her older husband. Her charm coexisted well against Mortensen's steely, cool presence and Isaac's youthful exuberance. She more or less played the conscience of Chester who would rather do anything than be on the run any longer. Colette's happiness becomes second fiddle to Chester's quest to get out of the country as his paranoia ramps up. Isaac's more than held his own against a veteran in Mortensen, matching him scene for scene. They simply brought out the best in each other as a duo unwilling to fully trust one another. Rydal is a con man who gets more than he bargained for with a situation that is way out of his league. But Isaac's handles it with grace, willing to go the distance into darkness with the couple, even if it may cost him dearly. Rydal tells the tale of King Aegeus and his son lost at sea, telling the tragic end to a classic Greek tale. That mirrors what we see here where tragedy befalls the characters as everyone is also lost.

The fact that everyone isn't entirely likable and you still want them to survive their ordeal is a testament to the acting and character portrayals. They are all fleshed out very well where you can see the various points they're all coming from, while still not fully agreeing with their overall actions. You get more invested with them as the movie goes on; not knowing when the other shoe will drop. The chemistry is beyond dazzling as Mortensen and Isaac's play out a father/son relationship, with one more or less disappointed in the other. Mortensen and Dunst's once happy marriage slowly devolves into anger and repressed emotions, where one can't trust another no matter how long they have been married. Isaac's and Dunst's brimming relationship is shown to be more hopeful despite her allegiance to her husband, getting Chester into drunken fits of rage. The acting and characters of the trio allowed for maximum drama without overt sexuality or violence complicating matters. Everything is allowed to breathe for maximum effect and nothing feels like it was wasted.

The direction by Hossein Amini was beyond perfect as it not only looked gorgeous but very thrilling as well. With his directorial debut, Amini presented a dark thriller that is a fine compliment homage to the master of the genre, Alfred Hitchcock. He isn't trying to duplicate Hitchcock but show a film with direct inspirations. Amini slowly ramps up the tension but doesn't overdo it like most thrillers. It's not full of gun battles, fist fights or kinetic action but a gradually paced plot where one can take in not only the gorgeous scenery but the increasingly complicated characters. It's as contained as can be that lives within its own world of the characters. There is a great 60s noir feel that completely transports you that time unlike most movies. It felt really breezy and succinct where sometimes words don't need to be said as the facial expressions do plenty to get the point across.

You know exactly what you're getting as Amini has a very direct approach and is able to get his thoughts across with aplomb. It should be no surprise that he wrote the noir classic Drive, a great character study of criminals and the repercussions of their violent actions. Greece and Istanbul never looked so amazing where some of the shots had a very postcard feel to them. It got hard to choose one that looked more beautiful than the other. He captured the environment of Europe perfectly, showcasing ruins, cafes and dirt roads as the perfect backdrop to a sordid crime tale. At the same time, it holds a mysterious element, much like the characters where you can tell there is something more to it.

The score was some of the best I've heard in a long while. Alberto Iglesias is a true master of portraying a dark crime element to his film scores like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Constant Gardener. Both of which were nominated for Oscars for best score. The heavy use of strings reminded me of Hitchcock's films whenever tension reached a fever point. It made the moments that much more exciting, giving them the added jolt they wouldn't have gotten if Iglesias didn't score the film.

The story by Amini was far better than I thought where many nuances were inserted among the characters. Some may not get them at first glance, but the subtleties give it a richer overall story where everyone is more than what they appeared at first. It eventually comes full circle for all of them where they aren't as bad as they would have seemed at first. I liked the way that it was simply told on a basic level and no exaggerations were needed to make it entertaining. Some may not enjoy it, but for someone who wants a low level 60s crime noir, it's hard to find a better one out today.

This is your standard tightly wound, old school, no frills thriller with plenty of complex characters and impressive scenery that will make you wish you were in Europe. But this is without the murder and paranoia of infidelity of course. The Two Faces Of January is relegated to be sadly forgotten for the most part, but remains a hidden treasure to those who are lucky enough to come upon it. It starts off simple enough but gets more and more involved as the characters get deeper and deeper. Many may balk at the so called boring elements, but it's more than that to those who yearn for a different type of thriller from yesteryear. For those willing to take a trip overseas and back in time, it is well worth it. Four illegally obtained passports out of five.