Mail Order Bride - A Fun Movie with Great Music
Kayt Owens | Los Angeles | 12/25/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This film is a lot of fun; it's funny, well paced and features a terrific soundtrack of music by an extremely entertaining Russian rock 'n roll band called Red Elvises. The cast is also very likeable and talented, featuring, among others, Danny Aiello and Robert Capelli, Jr.
The story involves the Italian-American Mafia and the Russian Mafia working together and basically hinges on a Russian mail order bride (Ivana Milicevic) who pulled a $50,000 scam on a member of the Italian-American Mafia who naturally wants some retribution. It's decided in a hilarious phone call full of miscommunication that the Italian-American Mafia boss' lovable screw-up of a nephew, Anthony, will be sent to Russia to find the girl and get the money back. He is sent along with Ivan, the son of the head guy of the Russian Mafia, to protect him in Russia. They get off the plane in Moscow with Ivan complaining bitterly about the plane running out of vodka, an unheard-of and to him, unforgivable, occurrence. The fun takes off from there with romance, double crossing, crime, more double crossing and much more, including one very funny scenes involving "the best doctor in all of Russia."
Comedically the film is solid - audiences at the film festival screening were laughing from beginning to end. Visually, the scenes in Red Square (the original working title of this film was actually "Red Squares") were beautifully shot and it was quite interesting to see more of Moscow as the hero raced through the streets during a high-speed chase. Musically, the music fits perfectly with the story and can be heard on the Red Elvises website. Overall, the entire film moves along nicely and is thoroughly a good time; I found it to be completely enjoyable.
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Beautiful shots of moscow; interesting premise
M. Schreuder | provo, utah United States | 09/13/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"If you have a taste for offbeat and slapstick comedy you might find this film enjoyable. For me, the exterior shots of Moscow were a highlight. The premise of the mailorder bride with the heart-diseased young sister gouging rich Americen men was interesting, although not for all tastes. Worthwhile light-hearted entertainment for a single viewing."