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Review: ‘The Two Faces of January’ is an Engaging Thriller Lacking In Complexity
Hossein Amini makes a fun romp out of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, but fails to create a truly captivating tale
My only real run-in with the work of Patricia Highsmith before seeing Hossein Amini’s 2014 adaptation of The Two Faces of January was with the much more famous, and much better, adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley from the late 1990s (alongside Rene Clement’s Purple Noon, adapted from the same text). That film, surprising to me in its complexity and detailed characters, is one I frequently feel compelled to return to thanks to its distinctive atmosphere and brilliant performances. The Two Faces of January has moments of similar quality, but never quite makes it to the higher echelon of mystery filmmaking.
The story is intelligent in its set-up. We meet Rydal (Oscar Isaac) first, a young, smart and charismatic American tour guide currently making a living in Athens by giving tours and, on the side, running small cons on rich women with his charm. Knowing that this is a Highsmith adaptation, one immediately associates him with a character like Tom Ripley, and is hesitant to place any trust in him as a character. Shortly after, we meet Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortensen) and his wife Colette (Kirsten…