X
- 2014
- PG-13
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
- 2014
- PG-13
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
Summary In 1962, the charismatic Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortensen) and his alluring younger wife Colette (Kirsten Dunst), arrive in Athens by boat via the Corinthian Canal. While sightseeing at the Acropolis they encounter Rydal (Oscar Isaac), a young, Greek-speaking American who is working as a tour guide, scamming tourists on the side. Draw...
Directed By: Hossein Amini
Written By: Patricia Highsmith, Hossein Amini
- 2014
- PG-13
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
- 2014
- PG-13
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
The Two Faces of January
66
6.1
Where to Watch
Summary In 1962, the charismatic Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortensen) and his alluring younger wife Colette (Kirsten Dunst), arrive in Athens by boat via the Corinthian Canal. While sightseeing at the Acropolis they encounter Rydal (Oscar Isaac), a young, Greek-speaking American who is working as a tour guide, scamming tourists on the side. Draw...
Directed By: Hossein Amini
Written By: Patricia Highsmith, Hossein Amini
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 30 Critic Reviews
66
67% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
33% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 30 Critic Reviews
66
67% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
33% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
This is Highsmith, and so things do not go as planned for her protagonists. The Two Faces of January - drop-dead gorgeous to behold - is not a merry tale, but a murderous one. Murderously good.
A superior directorial debut for a smart, literate screenwriter delivers both first-class character drama and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 62 User Ratings
6.1
45% Positive
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
42% Mixed
26 Ratings
26 Ratings
13% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 62 User Ratings
6.1
45% Positive
28 Ratings
28 Ratings
42% Mixed
26 Ratings
26 Ratings
13% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith this suspenseful mystery drama is of the same high calibre that distinguished 'The Talented Mr Ripley' another adaptation with the same classy pedigree. This film is elevated by three compellingly nuanced performances even it's the men who steal the show. Kirsten Dunst with less screen time is still very good, but it is the chemistry between Viggo Mortenson and Oscar Isaac that makes the material zing. Watching them play the cat and mouse games afforded them by the serpentine twists and turns of a very impressive screenplay makes for enthralling viewing. Director Hussein Amir keeps his camera in close creating an edgy claustrophobic atmosphere, whilst not allowing the gorgeous Greek and Turkish locations to distract from the main drama. This may be a low key film, but it is one of high quality. Smooth editing and luminous camera work add to the distinctive achievement. My only misgiving is with the title, the meaning of which completely eludes me.
Report
If you complain that they don't make them like they used to, then you will like this classic suspense film set in 1962, an adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel. A prosperous looking couple hires a slippery young man to be their tour guide during a visit to Greece. But things start going awry when the older gentleman turns out to be a con artist on the run. The emotional core of the film is the tension - and the connection - between the two men, and the fact that there is an attraction between the younger man and the older man's wife. Good music, acting, camera, and Mediterranean locations.
Report
A pleasant entertainment, the term Graham Greene used for his thrillers, but slips away from memory as quickly as a summer evening.
On his first trip behind the camera, the British-Iranian Amini shows his skill at working with actors and sensing the way they can fill out literary characters. His screenplay generally feels more naturalistic than Highsmith, the dialogue less spare.
Superbly acted and sporadically intriguing thriller, yet it has a difficult time locating more stringent meaning and significance beyond its outward narrative of duplicitous actions and veiled motivations.
It's a sterile affair, no ambiguity, no ambivalence, just people doing one thing and then another.
Amini has proven his narrative acumen before and will undoubtedly do so again, but his inaugural stint behind the camera offers only fleeting glimpses of Highsmith's seductive, satirical prose that old hands such as Clément, Hitchcock and Minghella have so notably put to good use.
Almost resembling a documentary show of stranded tourists from Nat Geo channel, The Two Faces of January has a deceptively quaint atmosphere for a thriller. Characters are manipulative, morally ambiguous and have pathology tendency for deceit. However, it's irritatingly slow on creating tension and the script is rather thin even for the average runtime of the movie. The flamboyant visual is just barely enough to keep interest till the end.
Chester (Viggo Mortensen) and Collette (Kirsten Dunst) are a couple who harbor some secrets. They take a vacation at Athens, but are eventually caught in an unfortunate incident and find themselves in a dire situation. Accepting the help of local con artist, Rydal (Oscar Isaac) they attempt to flee Greece. The movie has the acting department covered, a good trait since it's almost exclusively featuring these three characters as they clash personalities.
It soon becomes clear that the seemingly happy couple are far from honest, even with each other. Situation escalates as Chester and Rydal collide, more than a couple of times. Using subtle cues it produces a sense of insecurity as the characters are trapped in unknown places, with slightly untrustworthy company, no less.
The pace as it starts and ends are good, but it falters about halfway. Trivial banters keep the momentum from reaching its peak, furthermore the film uses too much of jealousy and dissatisfied couple tricks. It may build the characters, but the film roams into telenovela realm at some points, not the direction mystery thriller would optimize upon.
Cinematography fares better, with the heavy European vista it's certainly has a different outlook. The retro vibe also helps, there's a distinct feel of classic detective nuance at play here. The mysteries, and also the latter act for that matter, are not highly captivating. The film serves as a crime drama in healthy does, but is not ambitious enough for complex con.
Though it has charming cast and foreign allure, the slow pace might deter audience from taking part in this exotic trip.
Report
A suspenseful look at a not-so-traditional few days in Greece during the 1960s. The Two Faces of January has a certain aesthetic which draws you in. Most of the time, you are craving for more.
Report
You know there's a problem when every review starts out gushing about how beautiful Greece is. 3 people died in this movie. And for no good reason. Maybe just to make it more thrilling? The real problem is not the acting. Everyone's great. But you never really know the motivations of the three main characters. You never really find out if they're good or bad. Of course they're both. But the movie does not make it clear what is causing them to act the way they do. One scene seems to show something about their personality. But then the next scene shows just the opposite. We see anger. We see dishonesty, reactions. But we never quite see the thought process. And the last 5 minutes feels like it was prescribed by a Committee of studio executives.
Report
La película tenía buenos actores y una trama en principio interesante. Lástima que pronto todo se vuelve muy plano y monótono hasta que la intriga prácticamente desaparece. La lucha entre los dos protagonistas se vuelve tediosa y el papel de Dunst es casi anecdótico. Una película un poco pobre.
Report
Production Company
Timnick Films,
StudioCanal,
Working Title Films
Release Date Sep 26, 2014
Duration 1 h 36 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline A mysterious encounter. A dangerous past. A deadly secret.
Awards
London Critics Circle Film Awards
• 1 Nomination
Online Film & Television Association
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Nomination
