The Stranger

A new Godfather trilogy may be in the works as director David Cronenberg brings his unique touch (including a full-on naked bathhouse brawl, Viggo Mortensen’s flopping appendage included) to the familiar themes of family, duty, and honor with Eastern Promises. Anna (Naomi Watts) is a hospital midwife who helps give birth to a young Russian girl, whose mother dies during the delivery. In an attempt to find the child’s family, the mother’s diary soon leads Anna to the seedy underworld of the Russian mafia, a world Anna has only heard of but must now rely on if she is to achieve her goal. The understated lead of the story, if you can call him that, is Nikolai (Mortensen), a lowly driver for the Russian crime ring. On the outside looking in, Nikolai is just one example of how the story remains mysterious and never seems to offer up as much information as it possibly could until just the right moment. Great acting on all fronts aside, Eastern Promises delivers on one end and fails on another. While the main plot thread is resolved, it seems as if there is more to be told as the credits begin to roll. By Brad Brevet