Mystery & thriller, The Two Faces of January movie reviews Metacritic score. Janus is usually depicted as having two faces as he looks both to the future and to the past. The Two Faces of January movie reviews & Metacritic score: In 1962, the charismatic Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortensen) and his alluring younger wife Colette (Kirsten Dunst), arrive in Athens by boat via the Corinthian. As an added reason to see the film, Greece is gorgeously shot, so if youre like me and have never been, this film might be worth it just for the beauty alone. It is not enough that Rydal, after first seeing Chester at the Acropolis in Athens, says that he reminds him of his father; nor is it sufficient that the movie mentions Rydals father several more times. During the several days wait Chester begins drinking, heavily, and becomes jealous of Colettes growing closeness with Rydal, further alienating them both and drawing them closer to each other. The Two Faces of January review a. limited, Release Date (Streaming): movie trailer and release date soundtrack video. They travel to a small town where they hope no one will notice them, waiting for Rydals friend to obtain and deliver the new passports for them. The Two Faces of January Powered by Reelgood Latest on The Two Faces of January New Shows & Movies To Watch This Weekend: Netflix's 'Murder Mystery 2' + More By Liz Kocan Mar 31, 2023 Whether. Discussing what appealed to him in Patricia Highsmith's simmering thriller The Two Faces of January, first-time director Hossein Amini landed on the deliberate lack of character motivation: "She doesn't really explain why people do things." This very obfuscation drew attention at the time of the novel's 1964 publication, when the reader at Highsmith's publisher identified "a . Adapted from a lesser-known novel by the same author Patricia Highsmith the new film is out on Friday 16 May. You can find these themes appearing throughout the novel. In 1962, New York con man Chester MacFarland and his wife Colette are touring Greece. It took me a while to identify the actor playing Rydal, Oscar Isaac, as the talented star of the Coen brothers 2013 Inside Llewyn Davis. His performance in The Two Faces of January is colorless and uncharismatic. The men are quick to irrational Think here of Drew Barrymore getting murdered at the opening of Scream. After the police clear Keener of any wrongdoing, he promises to go to MacFarland's funeral service out of gratitude. Hossein Amini, Producer: Many of her books including this one and the Ripley series have a distinct tinge of homoeroticism with Oedipal implications. very wrong decision to bring it back to her. the angriest gods of fate on these people, trapping them in a deceitful web of The latest news articles from Billboard Magazine, including reviews, business, pop, hip-hop, rock, dance, country and more. Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head: Season 2, Link to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 5, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to RT25: Celebrating 25 Years of Rotten Tomatoes, Link to Betty Gilpin & Co. on Deciphering. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Rated PG-13 Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for The Two Faces of January (2014) - Hossein Amini on AllMovie . At the same time, he hires a contract killer to get rid of Keener once and for all. Chester MacFarlane is a conman with multiple false identities, near the end of his rope and on the run with his young wife Colette. Sensing a trap, Chester flees and a chase ensues. Biographer Andrew Wilson, in his 2003 publication Beautiful Shadow: A Life of Patricia Highsmith claims the title is 'appropriate for the janus-faced, flux-like nature of her protagonists'.[1]. Studio Canal, The Two Faces of January (2014 UK/USA)Directed by Hossein AminiShown from left: Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst Photo: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures/Photofest TV & Movies The Art of the Plot. Level Two: Something unexpected happens that makes us rethink everything that came beforelearning that Brad Pitt is a figment in Fight Club, for instance, or at the end of the original Planet of the Apes, having Charlton Heston see the Statue of Liberty in the sand and realizing, as do we, that hes actually on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Rydal Keener is a young drifter looking for adventure: he finds it in one evening as the law . None of the three main characters is who they seemExpect a good deal of drinking. What impact does that have on modern viewers? Filled with more twists than a bowl of fusilli this is pure Level Five stuffa blithely shameless romp whose plotting wants to get away with murder, too. Colette flirts with a smitten Keener in front of McFarland, whose jealousy eventually gets the better of him. Keating says shes going to teach them how to get away with murder. Style In Film The Two Faces Of January Two Faces Heroine Chic Two By Two. Now, each of these four kinds of twists can be enjoyable if theyre done skillfully; that is, if they conjure up an imaginary world believable enough that we have expectations that are able to be overturned. After Rydal And in the end it does end up being the relationship between the two men thats more important and interesting than their fight over Colette, which ends in her death. But it lives or dies on its ending, and the final minutes here dont jibe with the rest of the films cat-and-cat game. The novel has been adapted for the screen three times, most notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951. His newest clients, a wealthy New York couple played by Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst, seem as genteel as you can get until Rydal discovers the man in a compromising position that has them on the lam. At the AMC Empire 25 and the Landmark Sunshine. Mortensen is his dastardly best. Hes a charming young American con artist, grifting privileged American girls out of their parents money by overcharging them during the exchange of foreign money. Its the early 1960s. Originally published at denisejena.tumblr.com. I had first seen the trailer just before NOFF announced they were showing it, and had resigned myself to watching it on Netflix in a few months. Rydal cant get through customs without Chester pretending to be his father; Chester slips him at the airport and books a flight to Istanbul instead of the agreed upon Frankfurt; Rydal is captured by the police and is given the task of getting a confession from Chester about Colettes death, in exchange for his freedom. On a rainy morning, while they visit the palace of Knossos, MacFarland tries to kill Keener by throwing a pithos at him from above, but accidentally kills Colette instead. In "The Two Faces of January," Viggo Mortensen wields a cigarette with the authority of Bette Davis and all the other great smokers of studio-era Hollywood. Chester is a con artist and an accidental killer, but Rydal ingratiated himself into the MacFarlands lives for the sake of money and a married woman. The Two [9][10][11], The Two Faces of January received mostly positive reviews; it holds an 79% rating based on 124 reviews on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 6.75/10. None of the three main characters is who they seemExpect a good deal of drinking. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Its pace was fluid yet methodical, and the overall direction was tight and focused. Chester and Colette are about to part ways with Rydal, but then there is a murder, a body is made to vanish, and Rydal, a petty con-man, is swept into the world of Chester, a far bigger con artist. Rating: Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). consequences for him and a clueless Rydal. the Greek locations. Starring Viggo Mortensen Kirsten Dunst Oscar Isaac. He meets Chester McFarland and his wife Colette and runs the game on them you can tell early on that Chester is allowing it, rather than fooled. The Two Faces of January review - classy but conventional Highsmith thriller. Yet theres also a fifthand newerkind of twist that works differently. 57 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 5 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Norwalk Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): Join us this first Sunday after worship as we observe "Earth Sunday." We. Producer Tom Sternberg optioned the rights to the novel and originally set up a project with the production company Mirage. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! Mortensen and Isaac execute their game of cat and mouse. Chester, and part of the pleasure of The Two Faces of January is watching Nonetheless, what a journey for the trio. enormous deus ex machina or a subversively clever nod to the Hays Code rules Dr. Phil | 119K views, 873 likes, 40 loves, 160 comments, 226 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from June Mejia: Dr.Phil Show 2023 Apr 07 Sexy Too Soon. The writing doesn't quite fully flesh out the characters, or make us care enough, for the suspense to be meaningful. Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst are a wealthy American financier and his wife vacationing in Greece in 1962, where they meet a small-time scam artist (an excellent Oscar Isaac) who has them sized up for easy marks. The story is set in the early 1960s, first in Greece and then in Turkey. For those unfamiliar, After Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst are a wealthy American financier and his wife vacationing in Greece in 1962, where they meet a small-time scam artist (an excellent Oscar Isaac) who has them sized. Not without irony the story begins in Greece and ends in Turkey two nations which have a complex history with one another the pull of two faces - Christianity and Islam. Janus, in Roman religion, the animistic spirit of doorways ( januae) and archways ( jani ). Not without irony the story begins in Greece and ends in Turkey two nations which have a complex history with one another the pull of two faces - Christianity and Islam. after Chester accidentally murders the detective. They hastily pack their suitcases and flee the hotel with Rydal but without checking out, leaving their passports at the front desk. We wept with the angels as he was tortured and crucified. Rydal discovers Colette's dead body and follows Chester to Athens. Parents need to know that The Two Faces of January is a stylish thriller set in Greece and Turkey in the early 1960s. the books ending?) Bette Davis and all the other great smokers of studio-era Hollywood. Caught between them is Colette who, alive with Dunsts gift for revealing the tiniest flicker of feeling, is an oasis of open-faced humanity in a world of masks. Profane, violent crime thriller has novel twists. Of course, whether theyre good or lousy (Guess what? Read critic reviews. The thriller The Two Faces of January the directorial debut of Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini is set to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival and the first trailer and poster have now gone online. All the essentials: top fashion stories, editors picks, and celebrity style. Either way, its a great last scene for Mortensen, who manages to leave us conflicted they enlist the help of a local tour guide to get them new passports and escape the country. Solid in many ways, not particularly memorable. Elegantly filmed and well acted Patricia Highsmith adaptation with a great chemistry between the characters and pretty images of Greece. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. [14] In comparing it to The Talented Mr. Ripley, Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter said that it lacks the "joie de vivre" of that film, but has lush cinematography and shows Amini's "skill at working with actors". Rydal arranges for false passports to replace those left behind and suggests waiting for the counterfeit documents in Crete. At the Acropolis, they meet Rydal Keener, an American who is alienated from his family. When a glamorous American couple befriends a tour guide while vacationing in Greece, friendship and recreation veer into envy, obsession, and murder. If either man is arrested, he will implicate the other. This Term Is Sometimes Used to Describe the Tcp/ip Software. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. There's also occasional swearing (including "s--t" and "f--k"), an undercurrent of sexual tension among the characters, and lots and lots of era-accurate smoking. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Romance, Original Language: The Crime, glamour and sexual intrigue combine in this Patricia Highsmith adaptation set in 1960s Athens, starring . The Two Faces of Athens. Coming Soon. The first month of the year is called January after him. It is based on Patricia Highsmith s 1964 novel The Two Faces of January and stars Viggo Mortensen Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac. adapting The Wings of the Dove and Drive for other directors, Hossein Amini A thriller centered on a con artist, his wife, and a stranger who flee Athens after one of them is caught up in the death of a private detective. ', Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. "The Two Faces of January . As they argue, she loses her balance and falls to her death down a flight of stairs. All rights reserved. It was published by Littlehampton Book Services Ltd and has a total of 288 pages in the book. Terms and Policies murder occurs, Chester is more than happy to pin it on the sucker he thinks hes away, he is dangerously sexy and morally dubious, the latter of which makes The Two Faces of January culminates in a bizarre series of events. So, this is where I have a problem: I never believed that Rydal was attracted to Colette. the two faces of january ending explained leapfrog leapreader system learn to read 10 book bundle warsaw, missouri property for sale the two faces of january ending explained. James Sobol Kelly FBI Agent. their own making. Hossein Amini wrote the screenplay, which also marks his directorial debut; Amini said he had wanted to direct a film adaptation of the novel for the past 15 years. found in Rydal. Highsmith and Amini unleash Their friendship quickly takes a dangerous turn when it morphs into a love triangle rife with envy, obsession, and murder. Shes not spectacularly beautiful, and seems kind of bratty and silly your husband stole money from a gambling syndicate and you didnt think theyd come after him? Hossein Amini, Release Date (Theaters): By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. MacFarland learns from his accomplices that he is wanted in the U.S. over a Ponzi scheme. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. from under heavy-lidded eyes and a hat brim pulled low, Mortensen looks like a The Two Faces of January is a psychological thriller novel by Patricia Highsmith.Its title alludes to the two faces of the Roman god Janus, after whom the month of January was named.Biographer Andrew Wilson, in his 2003 publication Beautiful Shadow: A Life of Patricia Highsmith claims the title is 'appropriate for the janus-faced, flux-like nature of her protagonists'. This is a chamber thriller focused on the relationship between three characters: Chester (Viggo Mortensen), an American businessman; Colette (Kirsten Dunst), his young wife; and Rydal (Oscar Isaac), an American tourist guide hired by the couple. mark goodman tudor scotty dog spine fracture. On a vacation in Greece, rich American Chester ( Viggo Mortensen) and his young wife, Colette ( Kirsten Dunst ), encounter Rydal (Oscar Isaac), a guide with a knack for conning pretty tourists. Needless to say, I was excited. Faces of January, Viggo Mortensen wields a cigarette with the authority of The Two Faces of January is a 2014 American thriller film written and directed by screenwriter Hossein Amini in his directorial debut. Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith who also wrote The Talented Mr. Prometheus Aleifer Young Musician. old-school feature. It's certainly not badly made, but it felt like there should have been a twist or something at the end, and there just wasn't. If you care about lawor even complex charactersthis isnt the show for you. Filming took place on location in Greece and Turkey, and at Ealing Studios in London. 2023 Cond Nast. The story is set in the early 1960s, first in Greece and then in Turkey. From Helena Bonham Carter plotting in that killer blue feathered hat in The Wings of the Dove, to Ryan Gosling driving silently in a neon urban landscape. Chalepa Chania Crete Greece 38 of 38 found this interesting Interesting. Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel (she also wrote the book that inspired 1999's The Talented Mr. Ripley), the film makes an effort to get the details right, even if the entire story, despite a fiendish plot, seems strangely devoid of intimacy (with a love triangle, of sorts, at its center, that seems odd). Kirsten Dunst Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Isaac Llewyn Davis play three elegant Americans in. Robyn Slovo, Writer: The big shocker happens already in the middle of the film, from there on out it's still interesting to see where all this is going, but never nail-biting intense. But the MacFarlands arent quite what they seem either. common sense is overridden. Independent. After he kills a detective, a con artist (Viggo Mortensen) and his wife (Kirsten Dunst) must trust a potentially dangerous stranger (Oscar Isaac) to help them get out of Greece. The Two Faces of Athens. Highsmiths novels are never only thrillers; they are psychological dramas with a distinctly perverse edge, blurring the boundaries between good and evil as well as the limits of sexual identity. Coming Soon. She provides the catalyst for the games of It was all a dream!), twists take many forms and work at several, often overlapping levels. Filming took place on location in Greece and Turkey and at Ealing StudiosIt premiered in February 2014 in the Berlinale Special Galas. The result is a film which feels competent, but not passionate or original. This Sweet Sickness (briefly and long ago a French art movie, now overdue for . Pretty images of Greece a contract killer to get rid of Keener once for... 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