MovieChat Forums > Eastern Promises (2007) Discussion > Very underrated ??

Very underrated ??

posted 10 years ago by mpboylanjr
13 replies | jump to latest

This is one of my favorite films and probably my favorite Cronenberg films although I'm biased and love pretty much all of his films. He's an original that makes great films and isn't scared to go into the dark and unknown ( dangerous method) is one that comes to mind. I just don't think this film gets it's due to the masses as I see that it has high praise from the IMDB fans of it most people I know have never seen it. Does any1 else think this movie is fantastic in everyway but doesn't get it's due ???

THERES NO ROOM IN MY CIRCUS TENT FOR YOU !!!

[–] samantha3 10 years ago

It's almost as fine as A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, if a bit less complex. A brilliant use of a gangster environment to say some very different things about people, which David Cronenberg intended. He said when the film came out that mob films bored him, so he made something different. His films the last few years may have been departures for him, but they also carry his usual concerns about things like identity and persona, love in some strange forms, and the ugliness of violence.

And it did get attention. A lot of critical praise and an Oscar nomination for VM. And I think it even made money. It certainly enhanced the reputation of those involved in it.

[–] mpboylanjr 10 years ago

Yea I said it seems like it did get praise on IMDB but a lot of others never heard of it but I agree that it's up there with a history of violence but didn't know he was boring with gangster flicks because he makes them SOO WELL but I see the break away from movies like COSMOPOLIS which I still kind of liked ..

THERES NO ROOM IN MY CIRCUS TENT FOR YOU !!!!

[–] samantha3 10 years ago

"...didn't know he was boring with gangster flicks because he makes them SOO WELL"

As I said -- and more to the point, as DC said, this is something different. The Russian mob in London is simply the frame he used to hang an entirely different kind of film on. Perhaps you don't see it, but some people do.

And yes, it is an excellent film. But not about the mob. Just about a few of the people in it.

In fact, the writer said if he had made it about the actual mob, nobody would believe it because it would be so unbelievably, unremittingly brutal and horrible. The film isn't even about the present-day -- well, the 2007 -- mob because by then things like the tattoos and the relationship with the FSB were out of date. DC used both to make his own points, tell his own story.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

Eastern Promises is a good Cronenberg. Fits somewhere in the middle batch of his filmography.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] Prismark10 10 years ago

I think this film was well appreciated by the critics.

Its that man again!!

[–] bluespade7 10 years ago

More under-seen than over/underrated .

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] luvie2003 9 years ago

This film is very underrated. Viggo should have gotten an Oscar or Golden Globe for his performance in this film. He was awesome!

Always look for the positive in every situation.

[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

Mortensen is excellent, but an Oscar win over Day-Lewis or Philip Seymore Hoffman (who, bizarrely, wasn't even nominated for his incredible performance in Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) is quite inconceivable as far as I'm concerned.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] luvie2003 9 years ago

Still Viggo should have gotten at least a Golden Globe. And PSH was awesome in Before the Devil knows You're Dead.

Always look for the positive in every situation.

[–] serenity159 9 years ago

The term I would use is 'unknown' instead of underrated. I myself stumbled upon it by accident. Didn't know anything about the director or any connection to History of Violence (which I also stumbled upon) till I watched the movie.

~Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes~

[–] wrightinchicago 9 years ago

I'm watching it for the 2nd time. A little slow, you have to hang on every word and take your time with it.
I like the movie too.

[–] niteowljr 8 years ago

It's one of my favorites but probably lacks the star power, snappy dialogue and action that would appeal to the less sophisticated viewer.... and most viewers are less sophisticated viewers.