Cronenberg, Mortensen make good on 'Promises'

Merry Christmas! Here's a look at a couple of DVDs hitting store shelves this week, in case you're already looking for something to spend those gift cards on.

"Eastern Promises" -- The latest from acclaimed director David Cronenberg is a startling, absorbing crime drama with a knockout performance by Viggo Mortensen. Mortensen plays Nikolai, a chauffeur/soldier in a Russian crime family operating in London. The family is led by Seymon (Armin Mueller-Stahl), a patriarch with a warm twinkle in his eye and a voice so full of menace that it will lift the hairs on the back of your neck. Seymon's position is threatened when a diary that contains sensitive information about the family falls into the hands of Anna, a kind nurse (Naomi Watts). He orders Nikolai to get the diary, setting off a violent chain of lies, betrayal and murder. As he did in his previous film, 2005's "A History of Violence" (also starring Mortensen), Cronenberg uses the crime genre as a springboard for explorations of family and identity. His pacing and control are superb. A feeling of mounting dread simmers under every scene, occasionally erupting into moments of gruesome violence (this is a Cronenberg movie, after all!). The ambiguous ending might frustrate some viewers who want a neater finish, but it's really the only honest way to end this story. All the actors are great, but the movie belongs to Mortensen. Standing tall in his dark suits and sunglasses, his Nikolai is a rigid, guarded man, barely able to conceal the secrets roiling inside him. It's a fantastic performance that richly deserves its recent Golden Globe nomination. The DVD comes with two meaty featurettes: One explores the use of tattoos in the Russian mob and the other looks at how Cronenberg brought the script to life in London. The DVD was released Sunday, and is available now. (R; Universal, $29.98)

"The Heartbreak Kid" -- Ben Stiller re-teams with the Farrelly brothers in this comedy that's better than most critics said but not nearly as good as Farrelly classics like "There's Something About Mary" and "Kingpin." Stiller plays Eddie Cantro, an indecisive 40-year-old bachelor who's starting to feel the urge to settle down. He meets Lila, a sweet and sexy blonde, and quickly proposes. But then Lila turns from goddess to demon on their honeymoon, and Eddie finds himself drawn to Miranda, another sweet and sexy (but apparently sane) woman who's staying at the same hotel. Can he find a way to ditch Lila and be with Miranda? "The Heartbreak Kid," a loose remake of the classic 1972 Elaine May-Neil Simon flick, provides some big laughs, most of them courtesy of Stiller, who plays the same awkward, put-upon character he's perfected in earlier movies. What's missing from the film is the sweetness of the Farrellys' best work. We rooted for Stiller in "There's Something About Mary." Here, he's a bit of a jerk. Malin Akerman deserves some praise for her full-throttle performance in the thankless role of Lila. She allows herself to be the butt of the Farrellys' often gross sense of humor like a champ. The DVD includes a commentary from the Farrelly brothers, deleted scenes and several behind-the-scenes featurettes. The DVD hits store shelves on Wednesday. (R; Paramount, $29.99)