Mortensen Delivers on His "Eastern Promises"

David Cronenberg tackles more than just the modern ethnic family mob drama in Eastern Promises (2007). Cronenberg, who also made a mafia drama in an unconventional way with Viggo Mortensen as his leading man with A History of Violence (2005), is not a torch bearer in taking on the genre of mafia film. We have seen plenty family mob movies, mostly Italian, but Eastern Promises exposes the London underworld of the Russian mafia (also plenty of Russian titles) with a very cleaver plot, brilliant cinematography, solid acting, powerful relationships, and a plethora of controversial social themes.

Naomi Watts gives a solid performance as a half Russian doctor who happens upon a girl who is pregnant with a baby conceived from a rape by the Russian mob boss. The mother dies during birth but Watts is determined to find the baby’s extended family. When Watts tracks the mafia family down with information from the girl’s diary, the family finds that they must destroy the diary that contains potentially incriminating information.

Mortensen, a driver and bodyguard for the mob boss’s son is torn between his own altruistic tendencies and advancing in the underground world. Mortensen does a remarkable job, with beard shaved and covered in tattoos, looking as intimidating as ever, as well as perfecting a very convincing Russian accent. Mortensen is transformed from a villain early in the film, to the protagonist by the end – a transformation I thought nearly impossible from my early reaction to the character. The shift in Mortensen’s character occurs when it is realized that certain “Eastern Promises” were not kept.

Although constant vodka consumption and general stereotyping of Russian crime is embraced by the Cronenberg, the film finds a way to make the characters unique and the film distinct in its own place in the crowded genre. Under-riding the surface story of mafia violence is the sad story of girls sold into prostitution to fund the family’s operation – this further social exploration is an element missing from many mob dramas – and resulting from this decision we learn not to glorify the action and gore of the culture, but to gasp at the gore of the way those who are most helpless are the ones suffering from the violence.

View Trailer!