The Two Faces of January came and went with little fanfare last year and failed to make much of an impact in movie circles; a shame, really, given that this adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel, starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Issac, had a lot to offer movie-goers looking to be charmed in that old-fashioned Hitchcockian fashion. Indeed, The Two Faces of January succeeded in almost every way that it set out to succeed: it's thrilling stuff from start to finish, it looks great, and the actors involved are on fantastic form. So why did it only rake in $5 million? Just one of those things, apparently. In this climate, where every movie tends to based around an existing property or big franchise, The Two Faces of January - despite being drawn from a Highsmith novel - lacked true box office draw; had it featured Brad Pitt in the lead role, things might've been a little different. Still, don't let the lack of commotion surrounding this perfectly worthwhile thriller stop you from checking it out. As a conscious throwback that works on its own terms too, look no further: the frequent twists and turns keep this picture interesting all the way to the final reel.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
