- Film Review
- Reviewed By Lorien Haynes
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3 out of 5
Primarily worth seeing for Nicole Kidman's downbeat and brave performance as a Russian mail-order bride, this blackly comic film suffers from a genre identity crisis. Ben Chaplin plays the suburban bank clerk (with chronic side-parting) who summons Kidman to England via the internet. But once she's ensconced in his home, Chaplin is disappointed with her lack of English and grunge style, although he soon forgives her when she compensates for her lack of conversation with action in the bedroom. As love arrives for Chaplin, so do two men claiming to be Kidman's relatives and within seconds all he holds dear is in danger. In the end, this well-meaning film is not quite funny enough to succeed as a romantic comedy, nor hard enough to tread Neil LaBute territory.
Plot Summary
Romantic comedy drama starring Ben Chaplin and Nicole Kidman. Lovelorn bank clerk John Buckingham requests a mail-order Russian bride online and is delighted with the beautiful Nadia, despite her lack of English. But when two shady "cousins" arrive for her birthday, he realises his enigmatic fiancée has a dangerous past.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Sophia / "Nadia"
- Nicole Kidman
- John Buckingham
- Ben Chaplin
- Alexei
- Vincent Cassel
- Yuri
- Mathieu Kassovitz
- Clare
- Kate Evans
- Bank manager
- Stephen Mangan
- Robert Moseley
- Alexander Armstrong
- Karen
- Sally Phillips
- Waitress
- Jo McInnes
- Tim
- Mark Gatiss
- Duty sergeant
- Steve Pemberton
- Porter
- Reece Shearsmith
Crew
- Director
- Jez Butterworth
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