Two years ago David Cronenberg brought us A History of Violence, a film filled with fascinating characters and explosive violence. Now we have Cronenberg's latest film, also filled with fascinating characters and explosive violence. The film is called Eastern Promises, and while it does share some similarities, and a star, with the earlier film, they are different experiences.
This new film is set within the world of Russian mobsters operating in London. It is a film that is less about plot and more about the people who inhabit this world. Is it a perfect experience? No, at times it moves along at a sluggish pace which lulled me into complacency. Still, there is a depth here that will keep you interested throughout.
Eastern Promises opens with a bloody murder in a barber shop. A man goes in for a trim and winds up with a cut throat. It is an attention-grabbing way to open the tale. Immediately following this, we meet Tatiana. She is young and pregnant, and in severe need of help as she stumbles into a pharmacy. She is rushed to the hospital, where she is treated by a midwife named Anna (Naomi Watts). Tatiana dies in childbirth, leaving Anna to find her family. This is a task that Anna takes to heart, using a diary found in the dead mother's bag as a starting point.
She enlists the aid of her Russian-born uncle to translate the diary. He is less than accommodating. Taking her mission very seriously, she sets out to find help. She finds herself at a restaurant run by the Russian mob kingpin, Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl). Without telling her too much, he realizes what could be uncovered should the diary be translated and offers his assistance. That is the first thread that weaves into the tapestry of Eastern Promises.
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