19 Feb - "Sometimes, if things are closed, you just open them up"

Eastern Promises (2007)
dir. David Cronenberg

CAST

Naomi Watts (I Heart Huckabees, 2004)

Viggo Mortensen (The Road, 2009)

Vincent Cassel (Elizabeth, 1998)
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Tamer Hassan (Batman Begins, 2005)

Eastern Promises confronts uncomfortable issues like human trafficking, slavery, rape. But while the ending isn't exactly upbeat, it doesn't all end in tragedy either, so that's good.

I like happy endings. Hold that against me if you want.

So a Russian girl dies giving birth and the doctor (Watts) sets out to find out the mysteries contained in her diary, getting entangled with the Russian Mafia, who have no desire to have their dirty laundry aired out, in the process. Viggo plays a not-very-villainous Russian climbing through the ranks of the insidious organization.

This was a good movie, don't get me wrong, it was gritty in the right places and the performances, I think particularly Vincent Cassel's, who acted with astonishing depth, were spot on. My major hangup is that Watts and Viggo kiss at the end, that's stupid. Sure, there was a little sexual tension throughout their interactions, but honestly, there's no need to shove a romance down my throat just because you've got 2 relatively attractive people in a movie. This movie would have worked so much better without that kiss, and just the subtle implication of romance that will never be realized.

Here is how it could have been even better: Get rid of Naomi Watts' character. Seriously, I don't think she was integral to the plot and mostly just dragged down everyone else.

I submit this plot alteration: Viggo, an informant in the Russian mafia attempts to unravel a human trafficking operation while the villanious antagonists are trying to kill the little baby, living evidence of their insidious crimes. No chicks.

I think it would be better. Now someone go write it.