Thriller set in the early '60s, adapted from the novel by Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley). A glamorous American...
Thriller set in the early '60s, adapted from the novel by Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley). A glamorous American couple - the charismatic Chester (Viggo Mortensen) and his alluring wife Colette (Kirsten Dunst) - are touring Greece and befriend local conman, Rydal (Oscar Isaac). Drawn to Colette's beauty and impressed by Chester's sophistication, Rydal becomes infatuated with the pair but starts to see darker secrets behind their affable exteriors. Adapted for the screen by Hossein Amini, screenwriter of Drive.
When Rydal visits the couple at their hotel, Chester presses him to help move the body of a seemingly unconscious man who he claims attacked him. In the moment, Rydal agrees but as events take a more sinister turn he finds himself ensnared in circumstances and unable to pull himself free. Rydal's obvious attraction to Colette gives rise to Chester's paranoia, leading to a dangerous battle of wits.
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Where to watch The Two Faces of January
80 %125 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
48 %14,462 reviewsAudience score rating
"Crime writer Patricia Highsmith’s work has lent itself to several notable cinematic adaptations, and two of the best-known - Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley - are both masterclass examples of the thriller genre. Unlikely to join their esteemed company is The Two Faces of January, the latest Highsmith novel to hit the big screen."
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Flicks
Flicks"Expertly blends touches of Hitchcock and Highsmith in this seductive, southern Europe-set suspenser."
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Variety
Variety"Intelligent, stylish adaptation of a Highsmith thriller with a crack cast and superbly photographed period locations. But it misses the essential element of tension."
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Total Film
Total Film"An unhurried, louche thriller that gives way to claustrophobia as it starts to get its clammy hands around your neck."
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Time Out
Time Out"A handsomely mounted if somewhat slight affair, beautifully photographed by Marcel Zyskind, gorgeously dressed by Steven Noble."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"Since the film is entirely built around a trio of greedy, lying, vapid losers, it’s unlikely that [this] is going to knock The Talented Mr. Ripley from its pedestal in the Highsmith pantheon, or even jar it slightly."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood Reporter"A superior directorial debut for a smart, literate screenwriter delivers both first-class character drama and edge-of-your-seat suspense."
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Empire Magazine
Empire MagazineThe Two Faces of January | Details
- Rating
- 12, infrequent strong language, moderate violence, scenes of smoking
- Runtime
- 96
- Genre
- Thriller
- Country of origin
- UK, USA, France
