If you like the Alfred Hitchcock genre, this is perfect for you. The fairly low rating can be overlooked, because this is a good movie. Although no classic. The story spins around a successful American couple on holiday in Greece. Or are they really on holiday? A third person is involved with the couple, and the story is based on a kill that is committed. The three main characters perform well and manage to convey the tension between as the story goes on. In particular, Viggo Mortensen is good as most of the times. His being and personality make this both unpredictable and nerve-racking. The characters are not what you might think, and this gives the movie an extra dimension. The ending is also surprising. This is not a masterpiece, but certainly good narrative art, and filmed in a well-executed and good way. Recommend it.

Set in 1960s Greece, the plot of this oddly titled film involves a small-time con artist who gets more than he bargained for after posing as tour guide for a vacationing American couple. Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, the film opened to mixed reviews with many expecting another 'Strangers on a Train' or 'The Talented Mr. Ripley', but it is decent stuff when viewed on its own terms. The crux of the film is the tension that exists between the two male leads and how their relationship changes. This tension is initially borne from the con artist's fascination with the other's much younger wife, but a series of twists and turns places them in an uneasy position where they have to rely on each other's discretion. At the same time, power shifts between them with an initial surrogate father/son relationship evolving into much more. Location is just as important as plot here though with the film making the most of the eerie old buildings and ancient ruins. Alberto Iglesias also supplies a characteristically atmospheric score and there is little flawing Oscar Isaac and Viggo Mortensen's acting. The film could have benefited from more in the way of thrills and suspense; the paranoia in the air does not always come out and an airport security scene aside, the characters never seem in much danger. As mentioned though, this is more of a film about the dynamics between the two protagonists who are more alike than either would want to believe; as one mentions, they would not be in their predicament were it not for the fact they have both have a touch of larceny in their veins.

This couldn't have a better title since the basic character trio always wears two faces, and most of the time it's hard to tell which one is the mask. Hossein Amini directs this so good that it almost doesn't matter that it's quite light on plot. A rich American couple gets involved in murder, and a small-time con man, who works as a tour guide in 60s Greece, will help them, while trying to bite more than he can chew. It's a pretty simple storyline, with no major plot twists or memorable events, yet it's also a pleasure to watch as the tension between the three protagonists begins to rise.Dunst's role as the young wife gets a backseat halfway through this journey, since this is mainly a power struggle between the two men, but, luckily, their performances are great, especially Mortensen's, whose character is the most multilayered one, and, strangely enough, the most likable despite him being the least innocent of the bunch – not to mention that he oozes vintage charm from every pore, whether he lights up a cigarette, drinks whiskey, or just sits casually.The only flaws here? #1 we never get to know more about our characters #2 the surface of the father\son theme that seems to be explored here is barely scratched – and mainly towards the end – which is a shame because this could surely be one of the film's strength's. One thing that's great, though, is how good they've managed to portray 1962s Greece, (and Turkey), which looks as it's supposed to, but in such a subtle way that it never feels… artificial. In conclusion, great movie for those that are more into characters and less about action, (or plot). It's not perfect, yet it's certainly something worth watching at least once.

The Two Faces Of January is a bit of a weird film. The cast was talented enough with both Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Isaac giving good performances, and Kristen Dunst was good for what the role required of her. But even with this cast it very often felt like it was not sure what kind of movie it wanted to be. It had a kinda lovers on the lamb kind of feel, and then at many points reminded me of other better films, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley, only with much less suspense to it. The story itself is very slow paced and even when it goes somewhere it doesn't really seem to go anywhere, or, at least that's how it feels. and then the third act is really fast paced but still fairly dull. Overall I really would not recommend this unless you are die hard Viggo Mortensen fans, or love looking at mostly brown and grey scenery. 2.5 Beards Out Of 5