Hossein Amini (director)
Studiocanal (studio)
Cert 15 (certificate)
98min (length)
15 September 2014 (released)
15 September 2014
The Two Faces Of January could well be called ‘The Two Faces Of Chester McFarland’. Coolishly played by Viggo Mortensen, the charismatic McFarland seems to have it all, including young trophy wife Collette (Kirsten Dunst). However, behind the dapper businessman façade lurks a very different and sinister side to Chester…
Set in 1962, glamorous American couple Chester and Collette are enjoying a holiday in sunny Athens, Greece. During a sightseeing trip at the famous Acropolis they make the acquaintance of Rydal (Oscar Isaac), a Greek-speaking American who scrapes by as a local tour-guide, but who also has a darker side to his persona. The three strike up a friendship (admittedly more out of curiosity than anything else) and soon Rydal is up to his old tricks when he seemingly helps the couple purchase a bracelet at the market, while at the same time conning them into paying more then the jewellery is worth. Suspecting a ‘kindred spirit’ but not exposing Rydal as a charlatan, Chester invites the young tour guide to dinner in a swank restaurant, during which he secretly exchanges flirtatious looks with the attractive Collette. Later on, Rydal and his female companion make their way back home in a taxi, whilst Chester and Collette return to their hotel room. Soon after, a stranger knocks on the door and demands entrance – as it turns out it is a private detective accusing Chester, who makes his living as a fraudster, of foul play. During an altercation in the bathroom, Chester pushes the man and accidentally kills him, but lies to his wife by pretending the man is only wounded. Meanwhile, Rydal discovers Collette’s bracelet in the taxi, which she obviously mislaid. Returning to the hotel to hand it to the couple, he catches Chester in the hallway, trying to get rid of the corpse… The table is now turning in favour of Rydal, who realises the couple need his language skills and fake passports to flee Greece…
From that point on, Chester and Rydal are playing a nasty cat- and mouse game, while Collette begins to have feelings for the seemingly caring and concerned tour guide. When events take an even more sinister turn, both men must rely on their instinct and wit in order to survive, with the film’s climax played out in the exotic alleys of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.
Based on a lesser-known novel by Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley / Strangers On a Train), this psychological thriller is sumptuously photographed but it takes a while to get going. That said, the chemistry between the three protagonists is convincingly played out – as the film goes on we see their true colours emerging.
Available Extras on this DVD & Blu-ray release are:
Twist & Thriller Featurette
Shooting the Odyssey Featurette
Travelling in Style Featurette
Interviews with director Hossein Amini, and main cast
Deleted scenes
Bloopers