The Two Faces of January (2014)

Directed by: Hossein Amini
Country: UK / others

Movie Review: “The Two Faces of January” is the debut feature-film from Iranian-English Hossein Amini, most known as a screenwriter, with works such as “Drive”, “Snow White and the Huntsman”, and “The Wings of the Dove”. This thriller was adapted from Particia Highsmith’s 1962 novel of the same name. Viggo Mortensen stars as Chester MacFarland, a con artist who ends up involving himself in an accidental murder of an intimidatory man when he was on vacations in Athens in the company of his wife, Collette (Kirsten Dunst). A tour guide and scammer named Rydal (Oscar Isaac), who followed Chester due to his semblances with his father, will help him to get rid of the body and get new passports through the black market. On the run, the trio tries to escape the Greek authorities, but the relationship between the two men deteriorates along the time, mainly for two reasons: different opinions on how to handle the situation, and jealousy since Rydal and Collette dangerously admit to nurture a special admiration for each other. I was supposed to be seduced by the way this thriller was conceived, but the truth is that the film never bestowed what it promised, not even in its final part where we have a bit more agitation and suspense. It didn’t take me beyond my expectations, and there’s absolutely nothing here we haven’t seen before. In its pretty familiar tones, we can feel a sense of tragic that was never enough to hold my attention. Solid in the technical aspects, the half-hearted “The Two Faces of January” lacked power in depicting the fatal crossed paths of these two men.