IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
A documentarian funds an N.Y.C. doorman's East Asian mail-order bride in exchange for the right to film the experience.A documentarian funds an N.Y.C. doorman's East Asian mail-order bride in exchange for the right to film the experience.A documentarian funds an N.Y.C. doorman's East Asian mail-order bride in exchange for the right to film the experience.
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Sam Lisenco
- Skater
- (as Samuel Lisenco)
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Featured reviews
smart
The rating for this film might be a little misleading. Judging by the comments it seems that many of the people who gave it a low score did so out of the sorrow they felt for the main character, and the disgust they felt for the men using her rather than out of a low opinion of the quality of the film. I actually think that the people who gave this film the lowest score are some of the people who felt the exact way the filmmakers want the audience to feel.
This film reminds me of "Dogville" in a way. They both do a good job at demonstrating the immoral and vile behavior that humans can practice toward one another when it's self-serving, and the justifications they can give. (You wonder sometimes if people really believe what they put forth as their point of view, if they grow to believe it out of a need to relieve guilt or if they secretly live in the guilt, being eaten up and causing their often defensive and miserable dispositions.) Don't get me wrong, this film is no Dogville, but the filmmakers do a decent job at revealing this human flaw that is the bane of this society. It's mockumentary style allows us to connect the characters to their real life counterparts rather than tossing their awful behavior aside as just something fictional (though it was).
It was a smart film. It takes thought to make up for lack of budget, and that's why you find some of the best films in the independent film world. I have friends who are filmmakers (honestly, none worked on this film). I hope more filmmakers dig a little deeper, be it in comedy, drama, horror, or whatever. These guys made a film that stays with you past the last bite of popcorn. That's an accomplishment.
This film reminds me of "Dogville" in a way. They both do a good job at demonstrating the immoral and vile behavior that humans can practice toward one another when it's self-serving, and the justifications they can give. (You wonder sometimes if people really believe what they put forth as their point of view, if they grow to believe it out of a need to relieve guilt or if they secretly live in the guilt, being eaten up and causing their often defensive and miserable dispositions.) Don't get me wrong, this film is no Dogville, but the filmmakers do a decent job at revealing this human flaw that is the bane of this society. It's mockumentary style allows us to connect the characters to their real life counterparts rather than tossing their awful behavior aside as just something fictional (though it was).
It was a smart film. It takes thought to make up for lack of budget, and that's why you find some of the best films in the independent film world. I have friends who are filmmakers (honestly, none worked on this film). I hope more filmmakers dig a little deeper, be it in comedy, drama, horror, or whatever. These guys made a film that stays with you past the last bite of popcorn. That's an accomplishment.
Highly Recommended!
I recently was able to to see this film in NYC and found it highly entertaining. I would say it has a sort of "Curb your Enthusiasm" feel and I say this because I found myself laughing out loud, but almost feeling guilty for having done so. The people involved in this "mockumentary" all have their own strengths, weaknesses and motivations that really sell the plot and their performances. The characters are quite believable and the acting is spot-on (the celebrity cameo scene is one of the highlights of the film imho). For anyone looking for an offbeat comedy with enough emotion and heart to bind the story together, this is a must-see!
You guys do know this movie is a MOCK-umentary, right?
I've read some comments here that seem to suggest the authors thought this movie was a documentary. But it isn't. It's a brazen, ballsy comedy DISGUISED as a documentary.
I found this movie to be outrageously, wickedly funny and in the vein of the TV series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Also, it has an unexpected amount of intelligence in its statements about American life versus life in the rest of the world, relationships, sex, and love(or lack thereof).
Beware all those who are easily offended: This movie is NOT for you. For those of you who like your comedy darker than a cup of black coffee, enjoy!
I found this movie to be outrageously, wickedly funny and in the vein of the TV series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Also, it has an unexpected amount of intelligence in its statements about American life versus life in the rest of the world, relationships, sex, and love(or lack thereof).
Beware all those who are easily offended: This movie is NOT for you. For those of you who like your comedy darker than a cup of black coffee, enjoy!
10fern1128
This film was wonderful
I was immediately engrossed in the film. It was a great story and the actors were believable as real people filming a documentary. It is one of those movies that you think about for days after wards and discuss the many rich details with people who've also seen it.
The fullness of the characters, the humor, the sadness -- just that slice of life's realities reminded me of another great sleeper film called "Simply Ballroom." (Though the stories are very, very different.) The entire there clapped when Mail Order Wife ended and you could tell that people loved it by their comments and smiles.
I wish this film had gotten more press and hope that it becomes more well known when it gets to video.
The fullness of the characters, the humor, the sadness -- just that slice of life's realities reminded me of another great sleeper film called "Simply Ballroom." (Though the stories are very, very different.) The entire there clapped when Mail Order Wife ended and you could tell that people loved it by their comments and smiles.
I wish this film had gotten more press and hope that it becomes more well known when it gets to video.
I can't believe people think this movie was a real documentary.
I can't believe people this this movie was a real documentary.
I am an ex-pat living in Hong Kong, so I was really curious when I saw this DVD in the shop. Within 10 minutes of watching it, I was confused. This chick is supposed to be from Burma. Let me tell you now, Burmese is not Chinese. She opens speaking Mandarin.....which I thought was quite strange.....then later she spoke the Cantonese dialect, which is only used in Hong Hong and the Canton province's in China (notably Guanzhou). This didn't seem right....after looking it up IMDb, I realized that she is actually Hong Kong Chinese. Not only that, she is a famous actress in Hong Kong, more recently playing a lead role in Memoirs of a Geisha.
They could of at least portrayed her as Chinese, and not Burmese. And the fact that her dialect changed from Mandarin to Cantonese, made it obvious that this was fake. The producers really should have done their homework. But then again, I guess most people in the Western world wouldn't know this.
Just a little insight that I thought you all would like to know.
I am an ex-pat living in Hong Kong, so I was really curious when I saw this DVD in the shop. Within 10 minutes of watching it, I was confused. This chick is supposed to be from Burma. Let me tell you now, Burmese is not Chinese. She opens speaking Mandarin.....which I thought was quite strange.....then later she spoke the Cantonese dialect, which is only used in Hong Hong and the Canton province's in China (notably Guanzhou). This didn't seem right....after looking it up IMDb, I realized that she is actually Hong Kong Chinese. Not only that, she is a famous actress in Hong Kong, more recently playing a lead role in Memoirs of a Geisha.
They could of at least portrayed her as Chinese, and not Burmese. And the fact that her dialect changed from Mandarin to Cantonese, made it obvious that this was fake. The producers really should have done their homework. But then again, I guess most people in the Western world wouldn't know this.
Just a little insight that I thought you all would like to know.
Did you know
- TriviaEugenia Yuan's character name "Lichi" is actually her Chinese name in real-life.
- GoofsIn the segment following his return from the alma mater trip, Andrew states that they are using a rental camera since Lichi took his. However, he was using the camera during the trip, so it wasn't there for her to take.
- SoundtracksBailar Merengue
Performed by Mangana
Written by Edith Mesch
Courtesy of LoveCat Music
Published by Big Tiger Music (BMI)
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Mail Order Bride
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $62,387
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,643
- Mar 13, 2005
- Gross worldwide
- $65,369
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