Eastern Promises

This film blew me away. It was ultra-violent, but told a wonderful story about the dark underbelly of the Russian mob in present day London. It follows David Cronenberg's recent template of a very simple story with a twist at the end (See A History of Violence). I admit, I didn't exactly see it coming because there was a curveball right before the twist that took the form of one of the most realistic and brutal fight scenes in recent memory. Viggo Mortenson is the star power, and carries his character well as a driver working his way up the proverbial ladder within a powerful family. Tattoos play a central role within the film, acting as the identifier of experiences and rank among the mobsters, however, this sub-plot would have been better left in the background. It was more of a distraction than an additive, and the story and dialogue was certainly strong enough to hold an audience's attention.

This film took the grand prize at the Toronto Film Festival this year, and is expected to be a serious contender come Oscar time. I would expect nods to go to Cronenberg (snubbed last year) and Mortenson on this one, and as of early October, it is my personal front-runner for best picture. I would highly recommend checking this one out, but it's definitely not for the squeamish. 9/10.