Russian Doll

Russian Doll looked good in the previews that is only where it looked good. Hugo Weaving and David Wenham lacked their usual charisma and depth of character. Katia was obnoxious and annoying. Ms. Horler was the only good thing about the movie she lead the cast through all the difficulties it faced in the script, she should have appeared more in the film, I was also disappointed that Laurie Foel was only in it for 1 minute. What it lacks Horler makes up for, but I wouldn't recommend this Australian film because it's a disaster.

This is a nice little easy watching, low effort movie. I had it on while doing some housework and it just flowed along nicely. Hugo Weaving is always good and very watchable. David Wenham is OK. The character of Katya is interesting and not too stereotypical (match making client not mail order bride or prostitute) and even better, she looked great in her sexy outfits and was not stick bandit thin, more like a real woman. The ending was perhaps a little clunky and the big gaps in the time line along the way (this happens at the start too) could perhaps be better emphasised with cinematic devices. All the same, worth getting out one day for an afternoon on the couch with some choccies or to keep an eye on while you're doing the ironing or cooking dinner somesuch.

"Russian Doll" is a lackluster tale about a married Aussie man who is having an affair with a beautiful Russian woman whose visa is about to expire and talks his best friend into marrying her so she can continue to live in Australia. What could have been a cute romantic comedy built around an unoriginal plotline tries hard and has its moments but suffers from low-budgetness, a uninspired script, and a very plain and ordinary execution. The film is little more than a diversion for the needy sofa spud now on cable. (C-)

Well, I was thoroughly pleased with "Russian Doll." Two main reasons: 1) Hugo Weaving (as Harvey) does a superb job as the disenchanted p.i. turned novelist, and 2) the plot was interestingly developed. There are a lot of good points to this movie. The most important is that it makes you laugh at all the right times. I watch this movie in the afternoon-time, not at night, because it's meant to be a fun, afternoon movie, not the main event for the night. (At night, you watch something like Lord of the Rings or Matrix to catch Mr. Weaving's fine acting.) Added bonus was David Wenham (Ethan), who I had never seen before, and he does a marvelous job with the character of Ethan, who is enduring an early mid-life crisis. (He's in LOTR- Faramir, you know.) So, all in all, I enjoyed this movie for what it was meant to be- a light-hearted romp to give you appreciation for your own life which should never be so complicated.

Hugo Weaving, Sacha Horler and David Wenham, all fine actors, put in their usual standard performance, but it doesn't do much good with such a weak and implausible storyline. The whole thing hangs on the credibility of Katia, the title role. Natalia Novikova makes a huge effort, but I believe it's an impossible task.