‘I’m sorry I disappointed you…’
Lockdown was a curious time for me, cinematically. By delving into stylish noir and a bunch of John Grisham adaptations, I developed a newfound respect for the thriller. This time next year I’ll probably be spending my days talking out of the side of my mouth and smoking, but for now, I’m happy to throw myself further into the world of glamorous locations, fast talking con men and elegant femme fatales. The Two Faces of January features all of these things plus a killer cast. A sure fire winner…
Rydal (Oscar Isaac) is an American tour guide living in Athens who spends his days grifting tourists and bedding women. His life is turned upside down when he meets married couple Chester (Viggo Mortensen) and Colette (Kirsten Dunst). So begins a cat-and-mouse noir thriller that is never anything less than extremely watchable.
Surrounded by the glorious ruins of the Greek capital, The Two Faces of January provides us with two men also on the verge of ruin of some sort or another. Mortensen perfectly juggles both sides of Chester, charming man about town and streetwise drunken thug. Elsewhere, Isaacs is typically reliable in another multi-faceted role while Dunst has a ball as the blonde bombshell at the centre of it all. The three share a frenzied chemistry that drags the film along its skinny 90 minute run time (writer/director Hossein Amini races through the plot but does so with style and panache) concluding in a fitting third act denouement that sees all loose ends nicely tied up – perhaps a little too nicely actually, but that is a minor gripe.
For those looking for a Bond film with all the bullshit stripped away, The Two Faces of January offers a grown up and nuanced take on a familiar story. A success.