Eastern Promises

R

Released Sep 14, 2007

1 hr. 40 min.

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

89%

202 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is both ruthless and mysterious, has ties to one of the most dangerous crime families in London. He crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife who has come across potentially damaging evidence against the family, which forces him to set in motion a plan of deceit, death and retribution.

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Critics Consensus

David Cronenberg triumphs again, showcasing the Viggo Mortensen's onscreen prowess in a daring performance. Bearing the trademarks of psychological drama and gritty violence, Eastern Promises is a very compelling crime story.

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D H

This easily gets a solid 4/5 from me. Is it a great movie? No, but very good, with an excellent turn by Viggo Mortensen and decent performances all-around. Definitely worth the watch. There's at least one early plot point that doesn't seem to add up, but it doesn't wholly detract from the entirety of the story. Because of the twist, it would have been great to include some backstory because, without it, you honestly wonder about the nature of the protagonist to have resigned himself to such a life.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/19/24

Full Review

Ian W

Never heard of this film. Must have slipped under the radar, I wonder why. Agree with Critics and Audience on this one. Underpinned by a great performance from Viggo Mortensen this is a brutal, graphic window into the murky world of the Russian underworld in London. It doesn't paint Russians (well apart from Viggo - and we only get to know that towards the end) in a good light. How prescient.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/08/24

Full Review

Igor S

Great movie with solid performances and a good story. It's not your typical mob movie but there is decent intrigue and Viggo Mortensen's performance alone makes it worth watching.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Andrew Arthur M

Beautifully atmospheric and sharply filmed with much graphic violence that really is unnecessary in my opinion. Unnecessary as in we don't need to see this killing in the flesh so to speak but a clever film maker would only need to suggest such deeds are being done. Now the UK Russian mafia storyline is interesting especially these days when there are plenty of multi millionaire Russian oligarchs and hoods operating in London. But for me the weak link and fundamental problem with this film is the poor quality acting and totally miscast character of Anna the maternity nurse. She is unconvincing and just seems to be phoning in a performance on a different film. So for some unexplained reason the baby ends up with Anna despite her not being the actual mother. The end of the film concludes with the two leads gazing into each others eyes by the River Thames eyes, with Anna clutching a swaddled bundle that is supposed to be the infant. What could of been a cracking Godfather type study of the Russian mafia families in London is ultimately wasted by Cronenburg conclusion is at odds with the

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/24

Full Review

Alec C

It's hard to maintain any sort of honor in a world of violence, especially in the underworld! A midwife realizes that a recently born infant is connected to the Russian Mafia and her only hope for survival lies in the hands of an enigmatic mobster whose motives remain unclear. Brutally violent and intensely visceral, innocence is not something you should have when you're navigating the bleak world of the Mafia!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

David W

Eastern Promises demonstrates Cronenberg's talent as well as his tendency to craftily test the limits on violence and gore. I would definitely watch this again.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/24/24

Full Review

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David Cronenberg

Director

Viggo Mortensen

Nikolai

Naomi Watts

Anna

Vincent Cassel

Kirill

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Semyon

Sinead Cusack

Helen

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Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Ordinary People

2:27

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - The Exchange

2:37

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Thawing the Corpse

2:49

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Anna's Ride Home

3:10

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Progress Report

1:54

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Reasonable Responses

2:58

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Soccer Game Killing

1:21

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Tattoo Ceremony

3:15

Eastern Promises: Official Clip - Prayers For the Prostitute

1:33

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Derek Smith

Slant Magazine

The extras are all but perfunctory, but Kinos exquisite 4K transfer is easily the best that Eastern Promises has looked on home video to date.

Apr 25, 2022

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Such are the actual subtleties of Mortensen's performance - the odd sardonic smile; the slight tightening of a look - you're aware, from the off, that what he is on the outside might not have anything to do with what he is on the inside.

Aug 23, 2018

Full Review

Alonso Duralde

MSNBC

Eastern Promises has a lot going for it, which makes it all the more disappointing when the story takes a fatal turn towards the end.

Rated: 3/5

May 1, 2008

Full Review

Stephen Silver

Tilt Magazine

Represented one of Cronenberg’s stronger periods, one with more mainstream success than the director has typically enjoyed. (15th anniversary)

Rated: 4/5

Sep 19, 2022

Full Review

Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

Viggo Mortensen gives a fascinating performance in this dark and violent journey full of secrets, fidelity and family. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

May 18, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Beyond the film's eroticized violence and secretive world among the brutal Russian gangsters, Cronenberg also tells an immigrant story about people who want a better life only to find their desire exploited.

Rated: 4/4

Apr 4, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is both ruthless and mysterious, has ties to one of the most dangerous crime families in London. He crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife who has come across potentially damaging evidence against the family, which forces him to set in motion a plan of deceit, death and retribution.

Director: David Cronenberg
Executive Producer: Stephen Garrett, David M. Thompson, Jeff Abberley, Julia Blackman
Screenwriter: Steven Knight
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Serendipity Point Films
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Graphic Sexuality|Strong Bloody Violence|Strong Brutal Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.1M
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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