The Two Faces of January (film)

The Two Faces of January
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2014
Founder	Hossein Amini (director and screenwriter)
Products	Thriller film

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The Two Faces of January (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 2025

The Two Faces of January is a 2014 thriller film marking the feature directorial debut of Hossein Amini, who also penned the screenplay. Adapted from Patricia Highsmith's 1964 novel The Two Faces of January, the film features performances by Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac.

The production took place on-site in Greece and Turkey, alongside studio work at London's Ealing Studios. Its initial screening occurred in February 2014 within the Berlinale Special Galas segment of the Berlin International Film Festival.

Plot

Set in 1962, the story follows Chester MacFarland, a New York con artist, and his wife Colette as they explore Greece. At the Acropolis, they encounter Rydal Keener, a detached American traveler, whom they invite to dine with them.

After Colette accidentally leaves a bracelet in their taxi, Rydal returns it to her. Meanwhile, a private investigator hired by Chester’s previous victims confronts the couple at their hotel. In the ensuing altercation, Chester unintentionally kills the detective. While moving the body, Chester is spotted by Rydal; both then flee hastily without settling their hotel bill or taking their passports.

Rydal procures counterfeit passports and advises them to lay low in Crete. As time passes, tension escalates when Rydal and Colette develop mutual feelings, causing Chester frustration. Colette abruptly leaves a bus suspecting someone has identified her; Chester and Rydal follow her to the ancient ruins of Knossos.

In an underground maze at Knossos, Chester knocks Rydal unconscious. Assuming Rydal is dead, Colette refuses to continue with Chester and tragically falls to her death during an argument.

Rydal regains consciousness to discover Colette’s demise. He pursues Chester to Athens; both recognize that their fates are intertwined by two fatalities—either’s arrest could implicate the other. At the airport, Chester departs for Istanbul, leaving behind documents that could incriminate him.

In Istanbul, Rydal contacts Chester demanding payment to avoid police exposure. Unknown to Chester, Rydal is secretly cooperating with an FBI agent recording their conversation for a confession. Sensing betrayal, Chester attempts to escape but is fatally shot by law enforcement. Before dying, he admits responsibility for both deaths. Cleared of suspicion, Rydal attends Chester’s funeral and buries Colette’s bracelet alongside him.

Cast

Viggo Mortensen as Chester MacFarland
Kirsten Dunst as Colette MacFarland
Oscar Isaac as Rydal Keener
Yigit Ozsener as Yahya
Daisy Bevan as Lauren
David Warshofsky as Paul Vittorio
Omiros Poulakis as Niko

Production

Screenwriter Hossein Amini made his directorial debut with this film after pursuing adaptation rights for over 15 years. Producer Tom Sternberg secured the novel's option and initially developed the project through Mirage before obtaining support from StudioCanal and Working Title.

Filming commenced in August 2012 across multiple locations including Athens, Crete, Istanbul, and at London's Ealing Studios. Key shooting sites encompassed Küçük Hasan mosque on the harbour of Chania, a nearby café, the Grand Arsenal in Plateia Katehaki, the ruins of Knossos, and Istanbul's renowned Grand Bazaar.

Release

Distribution responsibilities were divided among several companies: StudioCanal oversaw the UK, Germany, France, Australia, and New Zealand markets, while Universal Pictures took charge of Spain and the Scandinavian countries. Rights for additional regions were licensed by StudioCanal. Entertainment One secured the Canadian distribution rights. In the United States, the film was initially made available on VOD through Magnolia Pictures on August 28, 2014, with a subsequent theatrical release occurring on October 3, 2014.

Reception

The Two Faces of January garnered predominantly favorable critiques, achieving an 80% approval rating based on 127 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, accompanied by an average score of 6.75 out of 10. The general consensus emphasizes its visually striking presentation, layered character development, and suspenseful Hitchcock-inspired twists, appealing particularly to enthusiasts of romantic thrillers. On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 66 out of 100 from 30 professional reviews, reflecting "generally favorable" opinions. Peter DeBruge from Variety commended Amini for skillfully merging elements reminiscent of Hitchcock and Highsmith. Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the film’s rich cinematography and Amini’s adept direction of actors, although she noted it lacks the "joie de vivre" found in similar works such as The Talented Mr. Ripley. Manohla Dargis from The New York Times praised the film for its additional narrative layers and heightened dramatic tension. Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times described the plot as captivating despite occasional implausible developments, consistent with the tone of the original novel.

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