Russian Doll

Russian Doll is quite unoriginal, having a plot similar to that of Greencard. It is also quite heavy on stereotypes. However, this is also a warm and amusing film which is a pleasure to watch. Hugo Weaving is excellent as always and Natalia Novikova is very entertaining.

Good film for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted comedy. Don't look for any deep meaning in it though, there isn't any.

"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-)

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.

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.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, so true to life, the actors played the parts brilliantly. I have personally been involved in a situation which has some similarities and it was all so familiar. Congratulations to Stavros Kazantzidis.