The Promise

For years Hollywood has produced many films about the plight of the downtrodden i.e. Jews, Polish people, especially during the WWII era. We've seen them: "The Pianist", "Schindler's List", "The Diary of Anne Frank", the recent "The Zookeeper's Wife" and the like. Now we are offered a film about the Turks and Armenians on the brink of WWI in "The Promise".

 

This historical drama, set in Constantinople on the verge of WWI centers on a love triangle between an artist, Ana Khesarian (Charlotte Le Bon), who is Armenian, but lived in France for years, an American photojournalist, Chris Myers (Christian Bale) and an Armenian medical; student, Mikael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac) who is engaged to a woman, Maral (Angela Sarafyan) from his home village.

As Mikael is getting settled in his new surroundings in meeting his new friends in Ana, Chris and Emre Ogan (Marwan Kenzari), fellow medical student, all hell breaks loose as the Turks target the Armenians in wanting and demanding them out of the country by brut force if need be. Tensions rise even more when Chris' passion against the Turks uprising against the Armenians increases as he sends correspondence back to the States about all that is transpiring. This leads to his arrest and subsequent charge of treason.

 

Others to round out the cast are Daniel Gimenez Cacho as Reverend Dikran Antreassian, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Marta Boghosian, Mikael's mother, Tom Hollander as Garin, Kevork Malikyan as Vartan Boghosian, Mikael's father, Numan Acar as Mustafa, Igal Naor as Mesrob, James Cromwell as Ambassador Morgenthau, Milene Mayer as Yeva, Tamer Hassan as Faruk Pasha, Alicia Borrachero as Lena, Jean Reno as Admiral Fournet and Abel Folk as Harut.

 

This was directed by a filmmaker whose right at home with these types of films, Terry George ("Some Mother's Son" '96, "A Bright Shining Lie" (TV movie) '98, "Hotel Rwanda" '04, "Reservation Road" '07, "Stand Off" '11) plus TV. Although expertise in a certain genre of film is understanding, it would be interesting to see what George could do with maybe a comedy or something else possibly. This was paced and staged with perfection and he was able to brings out all the emotions needed out of his actors with finesse. It was well written by George ("In the Name of the Father" '93, "The Boxer" '97, "Hart's War" '02, "Hotel Rwanda" '04, "Stand Off" '11) plus others and TV, and Robin Swicord ("Little Women" '94, "Matilda" '96, "Memoirs of a Geisha" '05, "The Jane Austen Book Club" '07) plus others and TV. With all the diverse characters which make up this story, these two writers were really able to pull off an amazing script with cohesiveness and continuity. If I had to say anything to the contrary, it would be in that it had a couple of slow spots in storyline--where 5-10 minutes could've been cut. But otherwise, this was a story that was executed with passion. Oddly, I really never knew anything that transpired over there during that time in history, but one that definitely should be told and was, so we can all see what transpired during an already desperate time in history.

 

This is a film that should be seen by all, so when we do, we can reflect on the fact that we are all alike being homo sapiens. Films like these can and should humble us to teach us how important we all are toward one another. Not only does it teach us, it's also well shot and incredibly well acted, written and directed.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                  132mins.