Eastern Promises

This film is another Cronenberg masterpiece. As you know, I am not someone to use that word nonchalantly. We follow the drama, as it unfolds, from the position of an innocent maternity nurse (Naomi Watts) and the driver (Viggo Mortensen) of a Russian mafia cartel situated in London. As critics have already pointed out, this is the first film set in London where I don't recognise any of the set pieces. Mortensen is a fine actor as demonstrated in A History of Violence, which I commented on previously, and I can only echo the words of Mark Kermode: "Viggo Mortensen is the new Robert DeNiro". The film deals with themes of identity, vulnerability, the family unit, social construction, conflict, and (undeniably) homosexuality. It's a film I feel inclined to watch again for the subtle nuances that surmount the final scene. I strongly urge people to watch this film with concentrated interest.