Memorable, crazy movie

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

If you like the Alfred Hitchcock genre, this is perfect for you. The fairly low rating can be overlooked, because this is a good movie. Although no classic. The story spins around a successful American couple on holiday in Greece. Or are they really on holiday? A third person is involved with the couple, and the story is based on a kill that is committed. The three main characters perform well and manage to convey the tension between as the story goes on. In particular, Viggo Mortensen is good as most of the times. His being and personality make this both unpredictable and nerve-racking. The characters are not what you might think, and this gives the movie an extra dimension. The ending is also surprising. This is not a masterpiece, but certainly good narrative art, and filmed in a well-executed and good way. Recommend it.

It's set in the 60s and it definitely has that look of movies from that era. It's very-well shot and the locations throughout Greece and Turkey are gorgeous.The performances from the main cast are pretty good too. Ocsar Isaac, Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst all do a fine job. I've seen them in better films doing stronger work but they carry this story smoothly. It feels like a classic movie that my parents would probably like more than me. The story is not breakneck speed but feels concise at 90 minutes.By the end I found myself enjoying everything but aware I was not going to be engrossed or surprised by it. I probably won't remember much about it a month from now but the director did an above average job for his debut film.

Yeah, I didn't think much of this Patricia Highsmith novel adaptation, which feels like one of those films (such as THE TOURIST) which is all about the visuals - the locations, costumes, look of actors etc. - to the detriment of the rather predictable plotting. The main characters are a couple of American tourists in Greece who become involved with a young con man when the ugly face of murder rears its head.This should be torrid, suspenseful stuff, and yet it all plays out in the most unsatisfactory manner. Even the action scenes don't have any of the tension or excitement that should be rolling off the screen. The director is far too interested in his 'beautiful' cinematography to worry about generating the usual suspense that acts as the backbone for many a thriller. It seems that the Iranian born Hossein Amini is better known as a scriptwriter, as this was his first feature length directed movie, so perhaps he should stick to writing.One of the most criminal things about The Two Faces of January is that it wastes a leading performance from the great Viggo Mortensen. Mortensen has a typically complex character to play, but is subdued so that you almost feel like he's wooden in places even though that can't possibly be the case. I've never liked the overly earnest Oscar Isaac much either, and Kirsten Dunst is just terrible. The resultant film is a missed opportunity more than anything else.

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.