The Two Faces of January - Not thrilling, but gripping nonetheless

I always think that the word ‘thriller’ can be a little misleading. ‘The Two Faces of January’ is often described as a ‘thriller,’ however, if you’re expecting wall to wall car chases and edge-of-your-seat kind of action then you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

It’s set in the nineteen sixties and is about an American city trader and his young wife who have ‘escaped’ to Europe, due to owing money to the ‘wrong’ people.  Unfortunately for them, their past literally catches up with them in the form of a debt collector who they subsequently kill.  Now they’re forced to enlist the help of a local young man to evade capture and flee their once safe haven.

And what follows is pretty slow, but deliberately so.  There are no government agents or police officers on their trail.  Their worst (and most dangerous) enemies turn out to be each other.  The two men are sort of tied together, both admitting that they’d drop the other in it if either were to get caught.  It’s almost more of a ‘cat and mouse’ sort of game they play, even though they’re never more than a few feet apart.

Some people have described the film as akin to Hitchcock’s work.  There are certainly comparisons to be drawn, as, not only is 'The Two Faces of January' set in Hitchcock’s era, but it’s more of a subtle thriller, relying on tension in relationships and a slow build up of tension to provide the mood and tone of the film.

Viggo Mortensen is the star.  Yes, Kirsten Dunst is the other ‘big name’ in the film and her (and Oscar Isaac supports the pair of them, but this was before he really hit the 'big time' with 'Star Wars' and other mega-budget movies), but Mortensen arguably turns in the best performance.  You can’t help but at least slightly root for him throughout most of the film.

It’s not a long film and its runtime is suitable.  If it went on too long, people would probably start getting bored.  If you’re into quieter, more refined, character-based thrillers, then you should give this a try.  Those craving fast-paced action will be best off avoiding this.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that