Two Faces of January

I agree with an earlier reviewer that this film derives much of its effect from being set in 1962. The period feel is beautifully communicated and the plot needs to work itself out in a world where places like Athens, Crete and Istanbul were not just exotic but isolated, where holidaying Americans would still be surprised and interested to meet other Americans, and people on the run could hope to hide away. The chemistry between the three leads, who are all well played, does lack fizz and there is a clumsy and rather hackneyed third act. But the film is never less than engaging and all the better for not resorting to surprise twists. The music tries too hard to be exciting, almost as if the director thinks the visuals need some extraneous help to keep the audience interested. I think he is wrong - there is enough going on here, including some fine acting and cinematography, to appeal to audiences who like films with substance, a trajectory, and a sound sense of place and time.

'The to faces of January' is an old-fashioned, decent thriller with a nice sixties setting and solid acting. Everything about it is immaculate. The plot is intelligent enough: a couple of rich tourists meet a young American tour guide, who accidentally witnesses the husband committing a crime. One thing leads to another, and soon enough the guide is caught in a web of lies and deceit, and it becomes impossible to escape without incriminating himself. The crime story is spiced up by the mutual romantic attraction between the guide and the young wife. There is even a sort of life lesson included: money is the root of all evil.

The movie is well worth seeing, if only because it is nice to see a film that's not experimental, violent, provocative, filled with special effects or in one way or another trying to be hip or trendy.

I can see why so many reviewers make references to Hitchcock. The film is set in the early sixties, the era in which Hitch made some of his best films like 'The Birds' or 'Marnie'. Still, this film lacks the touch of a genius like Hitchcock. The characters have no extra psychological layers, and the unconventional scenes and themes that make the Hitchcock-movies so special, are absent in this film.

If this movie had been made back in mid-century when Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Donen and Billy Wilder were at their peak, it probably wouldn't get much attention. But given we're in an age where Transformers XVI is a possibility, a movie like this--taut, suspenseful, well-acted, well- written, is kind of a marvel. It doesn't promise a lot: there are no special effects, the plot twists aren't terribly surprising; in fact, nothing in the movie really surprises. But it's all so seamlessly put together, so pleasingly directed, and shot with such loving attention to the scenery, Two Faces is a real delight. Don't come with great expectations--come simply for the pure entertainment of what a movie can be when everything in it works well. (Also, it's based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, so you know that if nothing else, there will be sophistication and wit.)

I have to applaud Hosseini's directorial debut. "The Two Faces Of January" takes us mostly to the 1960's Greece, with three main characters in focus.

Beautifully shot, this visually stunning period-piece (if I can call it that) relies on story and characters rather than trying to impress with extravagant plot twists and special effects. The narrative is very well balanced and restrained from the hyperactive traps of modern cinematic storytelling.

Good acting from everyone involved and my compliments to the music composer too, for providing a very fitting soundtrack.

This is classic film making. Nothing innovative but very beautiful to look at, a fitting choice to watch on a lonely evening.

Adapted by its director, Hossein Amini, from a little known novel by Patricia Highsmith "The Two Faces of January" turns out to be a highly satisfying tale of murder most foul very typical of Miss Highsmith. OK, so it's not on the same level as "The Talented Mr Ripley", "Plein Soleil" or "Strangers on a Train" but with its emphasis on plot rather than 'action' it's still a cut above a good many of today's so-called thrillers. Also typical of Highsmith is that the principal relationship in the film is between two men, (though one of them is married while the other starts to fall for the wife). The married one is Viggo Mortensen, apparently rich and touring Greece but also harboring a dark secret. The wife is pert little Kirsten Dunst and the man who falls for her is tour guide Oscar Issac. At first Issac thinks he has the upper hand, swindling Mortensen out of a few thousand dollars only to realize quite early in their relationship that he has bitten off more than he can chew. After awhile Dundst's character becomes almost redundant as the men start to play power games with each other. Whereas the male/male relationships in other Highsmith adaptations were mostly homo-erotic with at least one of the characters clearly drawn as gay. Here the relationship is meant to evoke a father and a son, (Issac's character has issues with his dead father). This slightly dilutes the dark heart of the picture. Movies like "The Talented Mr Ripley" and "Strangers on a Train" worked as well as they did because the villain was clearly homosexual and psychopathic and you never knew where his temper and jealous rages might take him. In this movie Mortensen is undoubtedly the jealous straight guy while Issac is just too nice, (he's too sweet to be a real con-man). Still, all three leading players are excellent and Amini tightens the screws very nicely as the film progresses. Filmed, for the most part, in Greece it will also prove something of a boost for the Greek Tourist Board this summer.