When London based mid-wife Anna witnesses the death during childbirth of a young teenage mother, she resolves to find the baby's relatives. Unfortunately for all involved this unwittingly leads her into the brutal, merciless world of an Eastern European mafia, ruled with cold-hearted charm and pseudo-benevolence by restauranter Semyon, but it is the mysterious and lethal driver Nikolai, a man who will become either her saviour or her nemesis, who tantalises Anna with information. After their previous collaboration, 'History of Violence', Cronenberg and Mortensen again join forces for a film with which, in its style, delivery, tone and depiction of a coldly murderous hero, it shares a great deal. "Eastern Promises" is a dark, brooding, brutal thriller.