>and as an organized crime junkie, it was great to get *some*
>insight into the world of the russian mob.

Have you seen Brother (Balabanov)? I thought it was pretty good, but better in retrospect now that Cronenberg said it was one of the things he watched in preparation for Eastern Promises, and said this about it:

"A Russian neo-noir (1997) about a young soldier who becomes a hit-man for a criminal gang. Classical in style, ultra-realistic and unsentimental. Reputedly held in high esteem by Russian criminals for its rare accuracy."