Movie Review & Trailer - The Two Faces of January: A Compelling & Complex Greek Tragedy

By David Salazar First Posted: Sep 06, 2014 02:39 PM EDT

As "The Two Faces of January" gets underway, Rydal (Oscar Isaac) is shown giving a tour of the Parthenon and telling those following him the story of Theseus and the death of his father Aegeus upon seeing the black sails on his ship.

The story contextualizes the entire film by denoting its major themes of father-son relationships, deception, guilt and innocence.

Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, Hossein Amini's feature admittedly plays out like a Greek tragedy. Rydal takes an interest in an American couple, Colette and Chester MacFarland, who are on vacation in Greece. Rydal notes to a friend of his that Chester reminds him of his dead father, but subsequent interactions between the two parties result in a more involved relationship. Rydal initially comes off as the suspicious character about to disrupt a perfectly healthy marriage.

But then, MacFarland finds himself chased down by a detective working for people that he conned. After a physical confrontation, MacFarland kills the man and is caught by Rydal. Finding himself completely compromised, MacFarland turns to Rydal for help and essentially turns his fate over the young man. But then MacFarland's insecurity, coupled with Rydal's excessive interest in his wife, starts to push him over the brink. And what follows is a battle between two men, a symbolic father and son relationship that leads to tragic consequences.

The suspense thriller moves a tremendous click with Amini constantly finding ways to up the ante and dial up the suspense. The film's twists and turns are unexpected and constantly morphing in fascinating ways. Props must also be given to Amini for his means of handling the love triangle. While the direction of this particular plot seems rather obvious, he manages to sustain the sexual tension and suspense by his spare portrayals of events and his decision to withhold information from the viewer. Some might find the overall lack of resolution here unsatisfying, but it certainly keeps the viewer enthralled.

Of course, none of this would matter if not for the tremendous cast leading the way. Viggo Mortensen and Isaac are undoubtedly the stars of the show and it is their love-hate relationship that makes this thriller sizzle. Mortensen's development from a calm gentleman to a man on the brink of madness is truly wondrous to behold. In arguably the most fascinating scene of the film, MacFarland encourages his wife to go dancing with Rydal while he indulges his drinking habit. Amini's observant camera chooses to frame the youngster from a distance while repeatedly maintaining the camera on Mortensen in a medium close-up. Throughout these shots, the viewer is able to witness the green-eyed monster slowly take over MacFarland's emotions. His eyes initially portray a man in deep pain, but eventually emit the rage and fury of a monster ready to be unleashed.

Isaac's star is certainly on the rise and his performance in this film certainly proves that the Guatemalan is one of the finest young actors of his generation. He portrays Rydal as a rather calm and collected individual, but betrays some vulnerability. His gaze is often yearning and searching, emphasizing the character's desire for some wholeness. In his big breakout in the Coens' "Inside Llewyn Davis," Isaac managed to portrayal a highly unsympathetic character, but still make him somewhat relatable. In this film, Isaac portrays someone far more personable and makes him equally compelling. While Rydal's complexity never develops to the level of MacFarland's, Isaac makes him a compelling counterpart. One could only hope that his recent forays into Hollywood will not diminish his fine work.

Rounding out the fatal trio is Kirsten Dunst. The actress makes Colette come off initially as a vapid ingénue with tremendous allure. But her growing relationship with Rydal seems to liberate the character and Dunst manages to reveal Colette's delicacy and insecurity.

Among the other phenomenal standouts in the film are composer Alberto Iglesias and cinematographer Marcel Zyskind. Iglesias score accentuates the propulsive nature of the film, especially with the haunting violin arpeggios that crop up throughout the picture. Zyskind's ability to mix wondrous panoramic views of Greece with penetrating closeups also gives the film a visual grandeur. Most thrilling of all is the film's progression from the sunny opening with its warm colors and slight overexposure to a moodier film filled with ever prevalent shadows.

"The Two Faces of January" is a captivating suspense thriller with complex characters and relentless pace. It is also highly entertaining and will pique the interest of those looking for a satisfying drama and those simply looking for a fun time.