Forget Mortensen
East Coast Journalist to HE: If Viggo Mortensen ain’t a front-runner for Eastern Promises, I don’t know who is.” HE to East-Coast Journalist: He’s not only not a front-runner — he may not even be a contender.
The centerpiece of his performance — a naked knife fight in a bathhouse — isn’t anyone’s idea of transcendent revelation. (Boiled down, it’s just Cronenberg being fetishy. ) The Russian machismo that permeates this film (the knives, tattoos, sneering attitudes towards women) along with the bowls of borscht and all the Russian culture crap makes this film an endurance test of the lowest order. It oozes ickyness through ever pore.
And that turnaround at the end — “I am naught actually slick-snarly Russian gangster with razor-cut hair….I yam actually [spoiler deleted]” — is an act of screenwriting desperation.
.
Cronenberg and “ickyness.” Really?
He really should be in the running, if for no reason other than this:
http://therecshow.com/2007/09/26/why-no-wang-in-movies/
So it’s even more masturbatory than his re-write of A History of Violence?
Josh Olsen wrote the script for History of Violence, not Cronenberg.
I won’t argue about the merit of that ending but ickyness?!?! Not at all, I thought this was Cronenberg’s most subdued and restrained outing even with that fight scene which is sleazy and uncomfortable to watch but everything else about the film was so classy and pristine, much in part due to Viggo’s menacing, not snarly, and taut, not slick, presence.
Great movie, wholly entertaining and never cookie cutter or predictable (for me, at least).
I hate to agree with Jeff here but he’s dead on correct about his prognosis. No way will Viggo’s performance get recognized by years end. It’s just not that kind of role, nothing flashy about it aside from the tour de force performance by Viggo’s junk. And wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if that ended up in his nomination reel?
Granted, I think he does an incredible job vanishing into the character, masterfully subtle, equal parts menacing and humane, but so much more than that, and never muted or dull where it could have been. One of the toughest roles to pull off. Not that the Oscars mean shit in the long run anyhow…
he’s in the James Woods “Onion Fields” position.
If A History of Violence – the best film of 2005 – was snubbed, this certainly will be.
Wells you’re just so totally off-base on this one. Not to sound condiscending, but you might want to try seeing the film again.
Josh: The best film of 2005 was Unleashed. A History of Violence was basically an Elephant wanna-be.
“A History of Violence was basically an Elephant wanna-be.”
That is one of the strangest opinions I’ve ever heard. Can you please elaborate on that?
OH GOD, NOAH! DON’T!
Oh fuck Noah, no! Arnold voice: GEHT DOWN!
Sorry guys, that one is just too damn weird to let slide. I mean, it came on the heels of him saying that Unleashed was the best movie of 2005! This is amazing!
the trailer to Lake of Fire:
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809761901/video/4267525/
“… all the Russian culture crap makes this film an endurance test of the lowest order.”
Russian culture crap? As opposed to the American, British, and occasionally French culture crap in most movies released in this country?
But still I think I know what you mean, even though I haven’t seen Eastern Promises yet. The Russians themselves use the word “klyuvka”, meaning “cranberries”, to describe any art (writing, cinema, painting, music, etc.) that lays on the Russianness with a thick and heavy trowel.
Russians consider klyuvka in art to be low-order kitsch. Like an American movie that lays it on thick and heavy with the cowboys, pickup trucks, country music, and American flags.
George Bush and Fred Thompson are prime examples of American klyuvka: “an endurance test of the lowest order.”
Noah: AHOV was a watered-down gangster movie trying to be a social commentary. The book was so much better.
What does that have to do with Elephant?
I suppose I’ll find out when I see Eastern Promises this weekend, but I’ve been wondering for a while: Is there any explanation in the movie of the word “syever” that appears in the tattoo on Viggo’s right hand in the ads? It means “north” in Russian.
I realize it’s a prison tattoo, but even so, the word “north” seems like a curious choice for a prison tattoo. The serious Russian prisons are usually in Siberia, but Russians usually consider Siberia to be east (“vostok”), not north.
Enough with “A History of Violence” already. So overrated and the last half hour is a joke. An over the top completely unrealistic performance by William Hurt as a gangster (one of the worst Oscar noms in history). Viggo turns into the Terminator at the end and the movie becomes the basic Hollywood actioner it attempts to mock (was Viggo’s character a former gangster or CIA assasin? I couldn’t tell). Viggo then returns to his family and we are led to believe there will be no consequences of wiping out half the Philadelphia Mob (nice way to put your family in danger Viggo). The first half was great but it really fell apart. It’s time to stop kissing Cronenberg’s ass with this film.
The real question is, what was more overrated-The Departed or AHOV???
Enough with “A History of Violence” already. So overrated and the last half hour is a joke. An over the top completely unrealistic performance by William Hurt as a gangster (one of the worst Oscar noms in history). Viggo turns into the Terminator at the end and the movie becomes the basic Hollywood actioner it attempts to mock (was Viggo’s character a former gangster or CIA assasin? I couldn’t tell). Viggo then returns to his family and we are led to believe there will be no consequences of wiping out half the Philadelphia Mob (nice way to put your family in danger Viggo). The first half was great but it really fell apart. It’s time to stop kissing Cronenberg’s butt with this film.
The real question is, what was more overrated-The Departed or AHOV???
Sorry for the double post but I thought they did not allow the first post b/c of the word “ass” which I replaced with “butt”
Carry on.
totally with ya, keith…..’ahov’ jumped the shark in the third act (but isn’t that what cronenberg does?)…….. can’t imagine ‘ep’ getting attention come oscar time…..
Noah: Like Elephant, AHOV was trying to make allusions towards Columbine.
Keith: Read the graphic novel instead. They really fucked it up.
A History of Violence made no such allusions to Columbine. Maybe you’re confusing it with something else.
The fact that the kid was bullied at school and then suddenly starts shooting the gangs, and becoming a bully himself, because his dad was a killer, too, doesn’t sound familiar?
He shot one guy to protect his father. That sounds nothing like Columbine.
“He’s not only not a front-runner — he may not even be a contender”
- Jeffrey Wells 9/27/07
Noah: Yeah, but after being “trained to shoot”, he takes his rage out on the other kids, too.
I dont’ recall that at all. Hopefully you saw a really awesome director’s cut.
Sorry, I got it out of order, but the idea is still the same.
“He’s not only not a front-runner — he may not even be a contender”
- Jeffrey Wells 9/27/07
“Ditto”
-MiraJeff 9/28/07
D.Z., you’re kidding right? You watched AHOV and got a Columbine vibe? You really weren’t paying attention were you?
D.Z. also got a Columbine vibe from Finding Nemo and Capote, so I’m not sure this is any big news.
I’d usually agree about Viggo but then Leo got in last year for “Blood Diamond” which was a performance not even close to on par with THe Aviator or The Departed so who the fuck knows with the Academy? (Though I don’t think they’ll be that impressed with Viggo or the movie).
I think it’s McAvoy and Daniel Day Lewis for sure, maybe Benicio (haven’t seen Things yet), George Clooney for Michael Clayton (the fact he’s not in your list Jeff is a crime) and then either Hanks or Depp.
Oh, I’d also put Brad Pitt in the mix but obviously, the Academy hates him for not nominating him for Babel.
To paraphrase Charlie Bucket, D.Z. doesn’t need a reason. That’s why he’s D.Z.
“Noah: AHOV was a watered-down gangster movie trying to be a social commentary. The book was so much better.”
By “book” and “graphic novel” he means comic book. The son doesn’t become a bully, he stops allowing himself to be victimized and defends himself. Do you actually watch movies D.Z., or do you just read the plot synopses at IMDb.com?
And Viggo’s character doesn’t wipe out half the Philadelphia mob, for God’s sake; he kills his brother and a handful of goons. The beginning of the film establishes that he’s a badass during the diner sequence, and then later when Viggo takes down Ed Harris and his men.
I have issues with the ending, too, but Viggo’s character is firmly established as a ruthless and dangerous killer before he visits Philly.
I absolutely LOVED “Eastern Promises” far above AHOV and felt that Viggo’s performance was spectacular. I also felt that the filmmaking was of the highest caliber. I was on the edge of my seat through the entire movie — and that the knife fight was one of the best fight scenes ever committed to film. So I found it very disheartening to have it so blandly dismissed. This is a great film.
Aladdin: “You watched AHOV and got a Columbine vibe? You really weren’t paying attention were you?”
Actually, I was paying attention. The fact that it took place in a rural part of the country only reinforces my argument that it was saying something about Columbine.
Josh: “D.Z. also got a Columbine vibe from Finding Nemo and Capote, so I’m not sure this is any big news.”
Didn’t see those yet.
Ogami: “The son doesn’t become a bully, he stops allowing himself to be victimized and defends himself.”
He defends himself by being as brutal as them.
“And Viggo’s character doesn’t wipe out half the Philadelphia mob, for God’s sake; he kills his brother and a handful of goons.”
And they represent the major players of that part of town.
“And they represent the major players of that part of town.”
Hurt’s character has an uneasy relationship with the other crime families because of his hot-tempered brother’s antics in the past. I doubt the major players will give a shit that Hurt’s character is taken out.
I think the film probably should’ve ended when Viggo is at the pond cleaning the blood off himself, giving us a much more ambiguous ending as to where he goes next.
“He defends himself by being as brutal as them.”
So? The point is, the son finally fights back. After years of pent-up anger it’s not surprising he went overboard in his retaliation. Is his brutal beating of them right? I don’t think so, and I don’t think Cronenberg thinks so, either.
I saw Eastern Promises Last Night:
It is a far superior film to A History of Violence, and I really hope that Viggo gets a Best Actor nod.
In my opinion, people love A History of Violence because of it ideas, i.e. what happens when a loving family man is also a former ruthless killer. How does his family react, will they ever reform as a family, etc.
These interesting notions aside, the film as a story is really full of holes… it’s a very flawed piece.
Eastern Promises, however, is almost the opposite. It’s principle themes of sex slavery, mafia loyalties, the hard men of Russian’s prisons doing business and battle on the otherwise soft streets of London, are not so idealogically complex.
The film, though, is an excellent story, and is a compelling film precisely because of Mortenson’s ability to incorporate ounces of compassion into an otherwise ruthlessly omnipotent character.
His duality makes the film. He’s fully deserving of the nod, and maybe even a top-3 contender for the award itself.
After all the “Into the Wild” backlash, I’m surprised nobody’s offered kudos for the spoiler warning on this post. So I will. Good job, Jeff, keep those spoiler warnings coming.
Awesome handle. Just caught GLENGARRY again the other night on IFC.
It gets really hard to ignore DZ when you also have to ignore all the people who are arguing with him. Makes for a quick thread read though.
I loved Viggo in Eastern Promises. I don’t know if he’ll get a nomination and I don’t really care (although he does deserve recognition). He made the movie for me.
Naomi is great but here character wasn’t as interesting.
Ogami: “Hurt’s character has an uneasy relationship with the other crime families because of his hot-tempered brother’s antics in the past. I doubt the major players will give a shit that Hurt’s character is taken out.”
They might feel threatened that an outsider did him in…
“So? The point is, the son finally fights back. After years of pent-up anger it’s not surprising he went overboard in his retaliation. Is his brutal beating of them right? I don’t think so, and I don’t think Cronenberg thinks so, either.”
But the real point is that it’s a metaphor for Columbine.
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