The Two Faces of January
I am getting closer to finishing my blog postings (and I am so indescribably happy about that) though it is a little ironic how I perceive seven films to go as “getting closer”. I used to exasperate over the prospect of having to write seven blog postings but now I am starting to make a list of films I want to see soon. I know, it’s incredible.
The most special thing about “The Two Faces of January” is that I made two serious attempts at seeing the film – once at the Berlinale (and then I decided that I don’t want to see a Hollywood film that was going to come out in theaters anyways) and once after the film was actually in theaters. In the end, Loris and I ended up exploring the Flaschenhalspark and the Viktoriapark instead. Even though I knew I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to see Oscar Isaac and Kirsten Dunst in stylish 60s clothing, I had this nagging fear that the film would be another one of those nice looking thrillers with a weak story. I was actually not a huge fan of “The Talented Mr. Ripley” either, so perhaps I’m really just not that much into Patricia Highsmith’s thrillers.
Surprisingly, however, “The Two Faces of January” was really good! I got Pip into watching it with me, so I am glad that we both enjoyed the film. It was a suspenseful, stylish film with surprisingly likable characters. I could get behind both the old guy who developed fatherly feelings as well as the young guy whose father complex remains something like a mystery. Oh and I am in love with Kirsten Dunst’s dresses and the beautiful Greek landscapes. Maybe I am just that superficial after all, but it’s more likely that this film was actually fairly well written.
“The Two Faces of January” is nothing ground-breaking but rather beautifully old-fashioned, and a nod to Hitchcock’s stories. Perhaps it caters to my contemporary tastes a little bit too much, but all in all, I took great pleasure in watching this film.