Overall Cronenberg delivers a good package, with quite OK story-line, good acting (as you would expect from likes of Mortensen, Cassel, Watts and others). But once again - what can you expect from a western director making a movie about Russians - huge misses and misinterpretations, not to say once again they fail to cast SOME RUSSIANS to play Russians. I don't say that main characters must be Russians, but at least second line characters could be played by Russians, right? It's not like it's a problem to find credible Russian speaking people in UK or US or Canada, right? Hire some actors from Russia, for Christ sake!
Besides that - right away I've noticed some terrible misinterpretations in the film:
1) "Вор в законе" (Vor v zakone) - is probably closest translated as "legal thief", meaning that one is above the law and such. It's a status that can be achieved, when the criminal elite recognizes one's ... let's say "achievements" in the criminal world. "Vory v zakone" is NOT a gang nor a criminal organization!!! It's merely s STATUS, similar to status of a "Family member" in the Cosa Nostra in US or other criminal organizations worldwide...
2) No self respecting Russian - especially the one in the position of Semyon, the head of the criminal family - he would NEVER let his children nor his grandchildren to play violin for the amusement of his guests! That would be presenting him as a jerk, a laughable figure. Violin is played at parties by hired gypsy entertainers. Violin is also played at Jewish parties, Russians on the other hand traditionally use harmonica! Considering this fact, that makes me wonder - if the criminal family, portrayed in the movie is in fact a criminal family of Russian Jews?..
These two misses were HUGE! Because of them the movie is less believable, and that's sad, this movie really had potential for being more or less accurate.
Besides that - right away I've noticed some terrible misinterpretations in the film:
1) "Вор в законе" (Vor v zakone) - is probably closest translated as "legal thief", meaning that one is above the law and such. It's a status that can be achieved, when the criminal elite recognizes one's ... let's say "achievements" in the criminal world. "Vory v zakone" is NOT a gang nor a criminal organization!!! It's merely s STATUS, similar to status of a "Family member" in the Cosa Nostra in US or other criminal organizations worldwide...
2) No self respecting Russian - especially the one in the position of Semyon, the head of the criminal family - he would NEVER let his children nor his grandchildren to play violin for the amusement of his guests! That would be presenting him as a jerk, a laughable figure. Violin is played at parties by hired gypsy entertainers. Violin is also played at Jewish parties, Russians on the other hand traditionally use harmonica! Considering this fact, that makes me wonder - if the criminal family, portrayed in the movie is in fact a criminal family of Russian Jews?..
These two misses were HUGE! Because of them the movie is less believable, and that's sad, this movie really had potential for being more or less accurate.