MovieChat Forums > Eastern Promises (2007) Discussion > Very unbelievable plot (spoilers)

Very unbelievable plot (spoilers)

posted 14 years ago by tkurylo
41 replies | jump to latest

I hate when characters in movies act overtly stupid or unrealistic and this is the case with this movie.

First, Anna is supposedly a typical naive young woman. The movie mentions that she understands that the dead girl is likely an underage prostitute, i.e. sex with her is an act of statutory rape. The girl's diary can help police establish people who pimped her or had sex with her. Nevertheless, she deliberately steals the diary withholding this important evidence from police, committing a criminal act. The way she's portrayed in the movie doesn't imply she would commit this crime.

Second, Anna finds a business card in the diary. She approaches the owner of the restaurant that appears on the card and asks him to to translate the diary. It's very stupid and unrealistic. Any person with the slightest intellect would understand that this business is very likely somehow responsible for pimping the girl.

And third, when Anna reproached mafiozi for what they have been doing, asked them if they're not ashamed, that was just lame. I don't believe real people can be so dumb. If she were a real person, she would qualify for Darwin award (probably posthumously).

There are a few other stupid moments, mostly about Anna. I actually found her character very annoying and wished she died in the movie.

The rest of the movie was OK and I enjoyed the fight scene, one of the best I've seen in a Hollywood movie.

[–] spetsnaz103 14 years ago

you have a important point. +1

[–] kaunte 14 years ago

"Oh look, a business card! This must be from the place that was pimping her!"
Really, that was so obvious, wasn't it....

"Be it a grain of sand or rock, in water they sink as the same."

[–] torrent-spam 14 years ago

1. Anna learned that the girl was a prostitute after she had already stolen the diary. Her uncle was the one that read it and told her that the girl got raped.

2. Yes, because owning a restaurant means you also pimp underaged girls.

3. Well, she's supposed to be a heroine after all.

I would have done things differently, but just because I would doesn't mean that Anna's actions were unrealistic in my opinion.

[–] droche-3 14 years ago

2. Yes, because owning a restaurant means you also pimp underaged girls.

"Do you serve tarts in this restaurant?"
"Yes, we do, and you look like a fine one."

"When you throw dirt, you lose ground" --old proverb

[–] feachlomana 14 years ago

First, Anna is supposedly a typical naive young woman. The movie mentions that she understands that the dead girl is likely an underage prostitute, i.e. sex with her is an act of statutory rape. The girl's diary can help police establish people who pimped her or had sex with her. Nevertheless, she deliberately steals the diary withholding this important evidence from police, committing a criminal act. The way she's portrayed in the movie doesn't imply she would commit this crime.

Don't forget that she has recently suffered a miscarriage, and become protective of baby 'Christine'. She took the diary to trace the dead girl's family. Working the job she does, its entirely possible that she has become disillusioned by the police, and doesn't expect they would work the case to her satisfaction. She also made a disparaging comment about social services, saying the baby would be 'lost in the system'.

Second, Anna finds a business card in the diary. She approaches the owner of the restaurant that appears on the card and asks him to to translate the diary.

No she doesn't. She asks him about Tatjana, and casually mentions the diary before leaving. He charms her into agreeing to let him do the translation. Even then, she doesn't trust him with the original, just photocopies.

third, when Anna reproached mafiozi for what they have been doing, asked them if they're not ashamed, that was just lame

Either that or just a natural, if foolhardy, reaction by a decent person to people who commit acts that most would find completely abhorent.

Yeah, Anna was a little naive, but her motivation was clear, her bravery admirable, and her actions consistent. Not 'unbelievable' in my view at all.

[–] Prelude_in_C_maj 14 years ago

It's a good movie so I'm not knocking it, but I have to say, I too found Anna's actions foolhardy and at times so stupid that I don't think anyone in real life would be the way she was. Even a fool could begin to put things together and understand that possessing the information in that diary was going to put her in danger. As soon as she realized who it was she was dealing with, she should have backed off. I found her confrontation of these men not brave but just completely, brainlessly Darwin Awards, yes. Even the most ordinary, decent, live-by-the-rules person knows enough about the underworld to know that you do NOT mess with these people -- and they are out there in real life. I come from where the Krays hung out.

When I think up a decent sig...I'll let you know.

[–] feachlomana 14 years ago

Well, people do do stupid things out of frustration, and Anna was frustrated not only by this new situation but by her life in general. The breakup of a relationship, living with her mother again and so on, not to mention working for the NHS!

Having said that, the old guy made it very clear that he wanted to get hold of the diary, got her to confirm where she worked, and wanted to know where she lived. So when Nikolai offers her a lift home, the common sense thing would be to get dropped off half a block down the road, rather than let him see her walk indoors. But then, if they were that desperate to find out, they could have her tailed anyway.

Not wanting to appear sexist, but if you are suggesting a young woman acting stupidly is unrealistic then you've had far different life experiences than me!

[–] Prelude_in_C_maj 14 years ago

Well let's not make this about females, and by the way, the fact that she happens to be a woman never occured to me in the context of stupidity, and yes that is sexist. Have you never equally as easily encountered young men acting stupidly? Plenty of that around. Stupidity is a fairly universal quality knowing no boundaries of gender nor age, unfortunately.

As a matter of fact I found not just Anna but her whole family pretty stupid for letting themselves get mixed up with Russian mafia. The Uncle at least seemed to fully know who he was dealing with, yet to spit at Nikolai, knowing that the smallest slight against people like that can be one's death warrant, well that was pretty Darwinian too.

Anna, her mother, even her Russian uncle who should have known better -- the way they went about things was not brave, it was unbelievably counter-survival. Although, having said that, I guess there would "be no movie" if these characters' storyline was that they just declined to get involved.

When I think up a decent sig...I'll let you know.

[–] feachlomana 14 years ago

I never said a young female was more likely to act stupid than a young male, therefore what I said wasn't actually sexist. Like I said, her slightly irrational behaviour could be easily explained.

I think there were more 'unbelievable' things in the plot than the behaviour of Anna and family: the cops decide to take down the apparent boss of the Russian Mafia in London. They decide to do him for rape of a minor. They take a sample of his blood, yet don't see fit to guard the one and only piece of evidence they have to make their case, a newborn baby, thus allowing said baby to be seized from hospital. That's a bit more unbelievable in my view.

[–] Prelude_in_C_maj 14 years ago

All very true. Another unbelievable thing was that the head cop seemed to just give unspoken approval of Nikolai getting himself deeper and deeper into the hierarchy, to the point where the line is now very blurred between doing his undercover duty, and fully being who he is to the mafia. The cop even rolled his eyes when he saw Nikolai's initiation tattoos -- clearly at least in that head cop's view, Nikolai is going farther than his job really needs him to.

But again, with none of these things -- Anna's foolhardy actions, the cops not guarding the baby, etc, I guess there would be no story to tell. I still think the portrayal of the family and their plunging headlong into all this didn't come across as brave but as just stupid and naive.

I realize Anna's motivation for such foolhardiness was that her recent miscarriage made her want to fiercely protect this baby, but it's still very naive the way she's sitting there with this polite yet rather sinister man who asks her all these questions whose answers she just blurts out like a child. Each time she blithely gave away something, I was sitting there thinking "Whaaa??" I know the old guy gave a good impression of "friendly old grandad in a cardigan" but come on!

When I think up a decent sig...I'll let you know.

[–] Ithilfaen 9 years ago

Another unbelievable thing was that the head cop seemed to just give unspoken approval of Nikolai getting himself deeper and deeper into the hierarchy,

That cop is not his boss. He's a Scotland Yard handler for the operation but he mentions the Russian Embassy pulling Nikolai, and the SVR. He has no approval, unspoken or not, to give. He's just Nikolai's contact in the local police. Nikolai is Russian Intelligence, not Scotland Yard.
That cop is just a messenger.

to the point where the line is now very blurred between doing his undercover duty, and fully being who he is to the mafia.

Why would he have any reason to believe the "line is blurred"?

The cop even rolled his eyes when he saw Nikolai's initiation tattoos -- clearly at least in that head cop's view, Nikolai is going farther than his job really needs him to.

I believe that's the point of undercover work, isn't it? What would be the point of getting a guy to risk his life just to get some pimp and his son? They are trying to dismantle the higher ups and sever the foreign connection to the drug trafficking network.

The reason the cop reacts that way when he sees the stars is that he knows that Nikolai's never going to get pulled out now that he's got his stars because the higher ups won't waste an opportunity like that. He's not rolling his eyes, he's thinking "oh *beep* you're in it now"

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] yurenchu 12 years ago

I think there were more 'unbelievable' things in the plot than the behaviour of Anna and family: the cops decide to take down the apparent boss of the Russian Mafia in London. They decide to do him for rape of a minor. They take a sample of his blood, yet don't see fit to guard the one and only piece of evidence they have to make their case, a newborn baby, thus allowing said baby to be seized from hospital. That's a bit more unbelievable in my view.

Mwah, I'd say that it's actually Kirill who's stupid to think that the police hadn't already secured a blood sample or DNA sample from the baby and that he could save his father by making the baby disappear. But then again, Kirill wasn't the brightest and he was a misguided guy with low self-esteem, so he might have come to this act because he was desperate to prove his worth to his father and earn his father's approval.

~ Everyone is unique, except for me ~

[–] alioth4 8 years ago

It seemed like his father ordered him to kidnap and get rid of the baby though. What we saw was Kirill asking his father what the police wanted with a blood sample--then a cut to Nikolai and Anna going to the riverside site to find Kirill and the baby. And Kirill was crying and lamenting "she's just a baby, we don't kill babies!", etc.--very much like he was ordered to do it. Although I suppose he could have been having second thoughts and reflecting on the evils of his own decision. But I think he also said something about his father "going too far" or something, as if it was his order.

Understanding is a three-edged sword.

[–] yurenchu 8 years ago

It's been a while since I've seen the movie, so I'd have to rewatch it to make up my mind about it; but you make a very interesting point. I seem to remember that the quite dictatorial father was indeed on top of everything, so you may be quite right.

______
Joe Satriani - "Always With Me, Always With You"
http://youtu.be/VI57QHL6ge0

[–] hhhmike-1 14 years ago

I understand that you personally didn't mean it like that, but I would very much like to dispel the terribly simpleminded idea of "there would be no movie" that is widespread throughout iMDB. Such apologetism of a stupid unrealistic script should never be necessary nor desirable. The story we have seen could have been told in a smarter, more realistic fashion than what we have seen - let us not be so humble as to suggest there would be NO movie should the stupidity and lazy writing disappear, NO - there would be a MUCH BETTER movie if the responsible people were approaching this project professionally as they should have. :)

Having said this, I enjoyed the movie somewhat, gave it a 6/10, but it had potential to be much more in my opinion and this particular thread proves it.

Finally I apologize for hitting you with this reply. I see that you are definitely not the person that exactly lives by this "no movie without it" notion (since you yourself have put the expression in quotation marks), but seeing it again made me really want to fight back against such reasoning that truly runs rampant on iMDB boards. :)

[–] nxgn_not_not 14 years ago

soooo HHH
we have established that this movie was stoopid or that those viewing it & replying on this board need 2 get out in that big world once in a while?

'cause 2 meit was totally real
I've so so so met peeps just like all these
& wurst

U'll show us how it's all dun bi writing yer own maybe? Or rather blythly sit on the side lines & pict @ stuff that U don't understand.
How could a woman luv a child?
No juan could luv that mush?
No juan wood walk in2 a situation that they weren't totally pre-paired 4?
No 1 wood react angerlee in a situation where they could be popped as soon as sneezed on?
Cops aways take the side of those that have power over them?

Mudder o gawd more realistic?
U've had a lot of dealings with the system 4 getting things made?
the level that this went 2 is like way way way out there compairt 2 most of what
whee C out there

samarter - - - yeah --- show us all

as 2 thee thread

Ivanaova was one of the best things
& most realistic 2 me

maybe I just need a nap

scissors 2 banjo
banjo scissoroo

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TheSummer2012 13 years ago

I think hhhmike-1 makes a few very valid points. You have to believe in a story to enjoy a film. By that, I don't mean you can't enjoy science fiction or fantasy movies but that the story must hold together in its context - whatever that may be.

Here, it was clear that when a person dies, not least a 14-year old girl who has just given birth, it is the police who will conduct an investigation to establish the identity of the person and the relevant circumstances (was her death suspicious / pregnancy etc.). Now I know the NHS (the national health service in the UK) is often accused of having lamentable standards but I doubt that a nurse would steal a dead person's diary and go play Sherlock Holmes on her own.

I agree that this could have been dealt with by the writers: Make the girl distrust the police (some of her punters may have been policemen) and let her give the diary to Naomi Watts just before she dies or something. Okay, you see, I don't quite qualify for a lifetime achievement award by the Screenwriters' Guild just yet but I am sure the total lack of police involvement (particularly after it became clear what was written in the diary) could have been dealt with convincingly by the writers.

On a lesser note, I thought the kiss between Viggo and Naomi was unnecessary - yeah, he turned out to be one of the "not-so" baddies but still...

[–] Moss-37 14 years ago

No one's mentioned that cycle helmet she wears...aint they dangerous to wear,no chin protection what so ever.

[–] caroline-mode 13 years ago

You are absolutely right. The plot is very hard to believe. The film squeaks too many times.

I quite like the characters of Nikolai and Karil, quite a pitty the film is not a few levels better.

[–] Stonington 10 years ago

Vincent Cassel never disappoints.

[–] JaneSchmo 13 years ago

I was thinking about that throughout the entire movie.

So you have a diary connecting a powerful bootlegger, heroin dealer, pimp, trafficker, murderer, thief, smuggler and rapist to a crime that could put him away for years, if not life.

And you...go to his place of work, tell him you have it, tell him your name, tell him your place of work, tell him about your mother and uncle, cluelessly let him know you have other evidence connecting him to rape and pimping and give the whole damn thing to him to read? AND THEN let his trusted driver find out where you and your family live?

Ok, well, so that was before you knew it was him. Ok, allright, fair enough.

But then you do know it was him. And then you decide that it is out of your hands and that you are in WAY over your head, immediately go to the police with everything you have, take your co-workers and family over as witnesses, beg them to arrest him and plead to be relocated to the corner of the British Empire the absolute furthest away from his restaurant, right?

Wait, you decide to go to his home and business alone and personally THREATEN him and his son?

Ho boy.

In real life, Anna would be murdered about five minutes into the film. She'd be sleeping with the fishes in that dock. Helping Soyka feed them.

But then there would be no movie.

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