Mild-mannered bachelor bank teller near London advertises for a Russian wife on the internet, and is disappointed when the young lady who shows up at the airport doesn't speak any English (she's a willing sport in bed, however); when two of her Russian buddies show up at his house, the man realizes he's been set up to rob his own bank, yet still feels a connection to this strange, sexy woman. Peculiar, darkly comic series of confusions, double crosses, bedroom fetishes (and ants!) written by the team of Tom and Jez Butterworth (Jez also directed, while Steve Butterworth produced). It was obviously a labor of love for the group, and they could not have found better leads than Nicole Kidman and handsome Ben Chaplin, both excellent in their roles. Still, the script disappoints--it's all over the map--and by the third act we've lost something intrinsic in the characters. Chaplin (who amusingly resembles both Joaquin Phoenix and Steve Carrell) is never humiliated on-screen (he's treated badly but always rebounds and looks after himself); still, the man's anger is released in odd ways (too much slapping) and we never understand his attachment to Kidman's Russian vixen. Is this an emotional connection or is it purely physical? Well-made movie has some fine, prickly moments (mostly in the first hour). It loses itself in its circular twists, swallowing its tail in the bargain, however the film is still a decent attempt at something different. ** from ****
163 Reviews
Underrated romantic comedy
Andy-Denotti9 June 2006
This is a good example a film that in spite of the low rating is more than worth watching. The story is engaging and it doesn't take long before the chemistry between Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin grabs your attention. The acting is first class and the characters are represented well. Sometimes it feels like the director couldn't decide himself between drama and romantic comedy. Ben Chiller's portrayal of the law abiding and shy Englishman with porn S.M. magazines hidden in the bedroom creates plenty of moments for laughs! As does the look in Nicole Kidman's eyes when she is offering John his first taste of intimacy in a long time... Other times the actors and especially Nicole Kidman give this comedy quite expertly a dramatic slant.
Birthday Girl
jboothmillard25 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I thought I had seen this film already years ago, I certainly knew the leading actress, but I did in fact watch it for the first time, it was rated average, but I read about what it was about, I was willing to try it. Basically lonely bank clerk John Buckingham (Ben Chaplin) from St Albans, in southern Hertfordshire, England, orders a mail-order bride named Nadia (Nicole Kidman) from Russia on the Internet, she is pretty and friendly, but he unsatisfied when he realises she cannot speak any English. He tries calling the company he ordered her from constantly to send her back, he is uncomfortable and shy, but she is sexually bold, and he slowly forms a bond with her as she gives him sexual pleasure. Later on, trying to learn English words from a Russian to English dictionary he gives her, Nadia reveals it is her birthday, and later that day a man she introduces as her cousin Yuri (Amélie's Mathieu Kassovitz) and his friend Alexei (Black Swan's Vincent Cassel) arrive to celebrate the birthday with them. Alexei soon shows he has a temper, after a violent dispute he takes Nadia and holds her hostage, demanding a ransom from John, he does care for her and to get the money is forced to steal from the bank he has worked for ten years. After the ransom is paid, he realises that this was all a big con, Nadia, Yuro and Alexei are in cahoots and criminals, Alexei is actually Nadia's boyfriend, John learns that they have scammed other men the same way in Switzerland and Germany among others. The criminals take John prisoner, stripping him down to his underwear and tying him up to a motel toilet, he does manage to free himself, and he also finds Alexei has left Nadia behind after discovering that she is pregnant. John gets himself dressed and has a scrap with Nadia, but they eventually calm and sit together, it is then that she reveals in fact she could speak English all along, and her name is not Nadia, he plans to take her to the police to turn her in and clear his name for the bank robbery. However John sympathises with Nadia and decides against this, they go the airport where he leaves her for a short time, it is there that Alexei kidnaps her, he wants her to have the baby, but John rescues her, tying Alexei to a chair and also making sure Yuri is out of the way also. In the end Nadia is snuck through the airport security gates, with John using Alexei's passport to pose as him, getting away also with the thousands he stole in his coat pockets, Nadia suggests he should come with her back to Russia, calling it a long date, John eventually agrees, and she reveals her real name is Sophia. Also starring Kate Lynn Evans as Clare, Stephen Mangan as Bank Manager, Alexander Armstrong as Robert Moseley, Sally Phillips as Karen, Jo McInnes as Waitress, Mark Gatiss as Tim the Porter, Steve Pemberton as Duty Sergeant, Reece Shearsmith as Porter and Ben Miller as Concierge. Kidman gives a downbeat and interesting performance as the Russian mail-order bride, Chaplin does okay as the regular Brit pulled into a messed situation, Cassel is a good choice as the moody villain, and it is interesting to see many popular British comedians younger in the supporting cast. It is supposed to make you laugh this film, I maybe tittered in places, but it is much more about the crime aspect than anything, all the conning stuff almost overwhelms, I agree with critics that it suffers from genre identity crisis, but you can excuse it for having a bit of a love story you can follow, not a very funny film, but not a terrible romantic comedy crime drama. Worth watching!
offbeat, underplayed drama
Buddy-5121 December 2002
Roughly one part crime drama to two parts offbeat love story, `Birthday Girl' is a nifty little British film that gives Nicole Kidman a chance to strut her stuff as an actress. Here she gets to play a Russian `mail order bride' (though, of course, in the modern world she is actually ordered off the internet) who's come to England to start a new life with John, a mild-mannered banker unsuccessful in the ways of love. John is one of those bland, utterly undistinguished `good guys' who everyone seems to like but no one seems to notice. Even his boss at the bank gives him one of those noncommittal job evaluations (saying what a swell guy he is and what a great way he has with people) used to fob people off when they are not good enough to merit a raise or a more prestigious position in the corporation. Forced to go the unconventional route in finding himself a wife, John hooks up with the lovely but inscrutable Nadia, a Russian woman who, John is appalled to learn, does not understand a word of English. Then just as John and Nadia seem to be forming a close relationship (literally bonding over bondage), complications arise when two of Nadia's bizarre `friends' from Russia suddenly arrive on the scene.
To reveal more of the plot would be unfair to both the viewer and the makers of this film, since much of the movie's intrigue arises from the frequent turnabouts in the plot itself. Although there is always the threat of violence hammering at the film's edges, writers Tom and Jez Butterworth (the latter serving as the film's director as well), manage to keep the film fairly havoc free while they focus on the developing relationship between the two main characters. Kidman, who speaks nary a word of English in the first half of the film (and only with a heavy accent thereafter), does a beautiful job conveying both the toughness and the vulnerability inherent in this woman. Though innately compassionate, Nadia has had to learn how to survive in a brutal world - even if that means having to exploit naïve, good-natured shmucks like John. As John, Ben Chaplin conveys just the right mixture of shyness, befuddlement and ultimate self-assuredness to make us root for the character. Because of his Everyman characteristics, we want to see John triumph in the end.
`Birthday Girl' doesn't try to push the envelope by indulging in elaborate action scenes or patently theatrical heroics. Its events seem to unravel in a spontaneous, naturalistic manner, which helps the film to remain relatively true to life most of the time. It tells an unusual story, one filled with wry humor, understated suspense and a compassionate recognition of human frailty. Well written and well acted, `Birthday Girl' is an unheralded film that deserves to be seen.
To reveal more of the plot would be unfair to both the viewer and the makers of this film, since much of the movie's intrigue arises from the frequent turnabouts in the plot itself. Although there is always the threat of violence hammering at the film's edges, writers Tom and Jez Butterworth (the latter serving as the film's director as well), manage to keep the film fairly havoc free while they focus on the developing relationship between the two main characters. Kidman, who speaks nary a word of English in the first half of the film (and only with a heavy accent thereafter), does a beautiful job conveying both the toughness and the vulnerability inherent in this woman. Though innately compassionate, Nadia has had to learn how to survive in a brutal world - even if that means having to exploit naïve, good-natured shmucks like John. As John, Ben Chaplin conveys just the right mixture of shyness, befuddlement and ultimate self-assuredness to make us root for the character. Because of his Everyman characteristics, we want to see John triumph in the end.
`Birthday Girl' doesn't try to push the envelope by indulging in elaborate action scenes or patently theatrical heroics. Its events seem to unravel in a spontaneous, naturalistic manner, which helps the film to remain relatively true to life most of the time. It tells an unusual story, one filled with wry humor, understated suspense and a compassionate recognition of human frailty. Well written and well acted, `Birthday Girl' is an unheralded film that deserves to be seen.
Fairly enjoyable romance/thriller
UniqueParticle13 April 2020
Ben Chaplin and Nicole Kidman are great together! The soundtrack is absolutely wonderful! Vincent Cassel is wild, he's always a great actor with range. Wasn't expecting some of the things that occur Birthday Girl is pleasant surprise.
A good premise, but the overall film is just so-so...
MovieAddict201622 August 2005
John (Ben Chaplin) is a hapless bachelor in St. Albans, looking for love in all the wrong places. So he goes online and orders a Russian mail-order bride. She arrives in the form of Nicole Kidman. Although her background is questionable and her English is fragmented, she's great in bed, so he has no complaints.
However when her "cousins" appear at his door a whole new world of deception and violence opens up for John, pulling him deeper and deeper under.
The premise for the film is fairly good, but the overall execution is just so-so. Nicole Kidman gives a really good performance (worthy of a better film) but Ben Chaplin is just OK. He slaps her around a bit, which is about as daring as his character manages to be. Anyone could play the role, so he's kind of stuck in a rut.
The movie is grungy, dark and feels independent - it's hard to imagine Hollywood royalty Nicole Kidman signing onto it, but she is really the reason this film remains interesting and engaging. Without her, I don't think I would have bothered to sit through all of it.
However when her "cousins" appear at his door a whole new world of deception and violence opens up for John, pulling him deeper and deeper under.
The premise for the film is fairly good, but the overall execution is just so-so. Nicole Kidman gives a really good performance (worthy of a better film) but Ben Chaplin is just OK. He slaps her around a bit, which is about as daring as his character manages to be. Anyone could play the role, so he's kind of stuck in a rut.
The movie is grungy, dark and feels independent - it's hard to imagine Hollywood royalty Nicole Kidman signing onto it, but she is really the reason this film remains interesting and engaging. Without her, I don't think I would have bothered to sit through all of it.
Likeable performances in story with nowhere to go
Quinoa19841 February 2002
Birthday Girl has a not too bad premise- good old English chum decides out of lonliness and maybe something else to order a mail order bride from Russia. It turns out, his order is not quite what he wanted, but she (Nicole Kidman) seems like a nice enough wife, until not what was planned happens in a series of events getting the english chum and his russian bride on the run. Sometimes amusing, but it is not good enough as a movie since it can never really get into its characters and seems to float for part of the 2nd act and 3rd act. Kidman is still sexy though. C+
odd yet strangely entertaining film
jagdevs-116 July 2005
This film is definitely an odd love story. Though this film may not be much to shout about, Nicole Kidman carries the film on her own the rest of the cast could quite easily be forgotten, though Ben Chaplin does do quite a good job of Hertfordshire Life with shots of St Albans & Hemel Hempstead town centre depicting the true essence of the area. What starts outlooking like a regular episode of the popular British TV series"Heartbeat" soon turns into a gritty gangster getaway action flick.Nothing truly memorable happens in this simple small film and thus ends-up as fairly decent weekend entertainment. A good one to watch, and if you like the hero john are lonely thirty something you may find something to identify with in his character.
Barely on Speaking Terms with Real Life
JamesHitchcock2 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Birthday Girl" is one of the very few British films, possibly the only one, to be set in St Albans, a cathedral city just north of London. John Buckingham, a bank clerk, orders a mail-order bride from Russia via the Internet. (She is described as a "bride", but as they never actually marry "mail-order mistress" would seem a more appropriate term). When the girl, Nadia, arrives it becomes clear that she cannot speak English, and John, who cannot speak Russian, considers asking her to return to Russia. When, however, he discovers how sexually uninhibited she is he decides to let her stay.
It soon transpires, however, that John is the victim of a scam. On Nadia's birthday two men, Yuri (who claims to be her cousin) and his friend Alexei, turn up at the house. At first John is happy to let them stay, but they show no sign of wanting to leave, and when John asks them to do so Alexei turns nasty, holding Nadia hostage and threatening to harm her unless John steals a large sum of money from the bank where works.
John pretends to comply with Alexie's demands, but as soon as he is out of the house he goes straight to the police who raid the house, rescue Nadia and arrest Yuri and Alexei. The two crooks receive lengthy prison sentences and John and Nadia live happily after as soon as she has learned enough English to say "I do". End of story.
Ignore everything I wrote in the last paragraph. I made it all up. That might have been the logical thing for John to have done, but then if he had acted logically there would have been no film, or at least not a very interesting one. Director Jez Butterworth evidently belongs to that school of film-makers who regard logic, plausibility and psychological consistency as being detrimental rather than conducive to good film-making. Instead of tipping off the police, John walks into the vault of his bank with two empty guitar cases and walks out with both full of banknotes. His colleagues seem either unaware of, or blithely unconcerned by, what he is doing. When he gets back to the house with the money, however, he finds out that Nadia, far from being the innocent victim of Yuri and Alexei, is actually their accomplice in the scam- indeed, she is Alexei's girlfriend.
The three Russians disappear with their loot. John, a sadder but a wiser man, hands himself into the police and is sent to jail but receives a lighter sentence because of the extenuating circumstances involved. End of story.
Again, ignore that last paragraph. I made it up. Now it is Yuri and Alexei's turn to do something bizarrely improbable. They disappear with the loot, leaving John tied up, but for some reason they also leave Nadia tied up alongside him. The ostensible reason given is that Alexei is angry because Nadia is pregnant with John's child, but both they and the scriptwriters have overlooked the fact that Nadia, who knows their true identities, is in possession of information which could put them in jail for a very long time indeed. That, I submit, would have been enough motivation for Alexei to swallow his resentment and avoid doing anything which might provoke Nadia to turn Queen's Evidence. John and Nadia go on the run and, remarkably, manage to evade detection even though John has now been identified as a suspected bank robber, his description has been widely circulated by the police and he is driving around the countryside in a highly distinctive bright orange sports car.
The casting seems just as bizarre as the plotting. Ben Chaplin as John is not too bad, but even though the other three main characters are all supposed to be Russian, none of them is actually played by a Russian. Nadia is played by Hollywood's favourite Aussie, Nicole Kidman. Presumably the film-makers cast her with an eye on the international market, but I'm afraid that the lovely Nicole did little except confirm my long-standing opinion that her undoubted talent for acting is not matched by an equal talent for picking the right film. (See also "Moulin Rouge", "The Stepford Wives", "Practical Magic" and several other turkeys of the same ilk). Yuri and Alexei are both played by French actors Mathieu Kassovitz and Vincent Cassel. God know why. The film-makers can't have had that big an eye on the French market. Large chunks of the dialogue are in Russian; I can't speak that language, but neither, apparently, can Kidman, Kassovitz and Cassel. Russians who have seen the film have described their accents as so inaccurate as to be barely comprehensible.
The film ends with John, disguised as Alexei, leaving for Russia with Sophia. We never learn what happens to them when they get there, but we are probably supposed to assume it is along the lines of "happily ever after". In real life, of course, John would probably end up in a Russian jail on a charge of entering the country on a false passport and then, when he had served his sentence, being extradited to Britain to stand trial for the bank robbery. "Birthday Girl", however, is the sort of film which has a very strained relationship with real life. Indeed, they are barely on speaking terms. 4/10
A goof. It is never explained how John, a modest bank clerk, can afford a massive five- or six-bedroomed detached house in St Albans, a notoriously expensive city to live with some of the highest property prices outside central London.
It soon transpires, however, that John is the victim of a scam. On Nadia's birthday two men, Yuri (who claims to be her cousin) and his friend Alexei, turn up at the house. At first John is happy to let them stay, but they show no sign of wanting to leave, and when John asks them to do so Alexei turns nasty, holding Nadia hostage and threatening to harm her unless John steals a large sum of money from the bank where works.
John pretends to comply with Alexie's demands, but as soon as he is out of the house he goes straight to the police who raid the house, rescue Nadia and arrest Yuri and Alexei. The two crooks receive lengthy prison sentences and John and Nadia live happily after as soon as she has learned enough English to say "I do". End of story.
Ignore everything I wrote in the last paragraph. I made it all up. That might have been the logical thing for John to have done, but then if he had acted logically there would have been no film, or at least not a very interesting one. Director Jez Butterworth evidently belongs to that school of film-makers who regard logic, plausibility and psychological consistency as being detrimental rather than conducive to good film-making. Instead of tipping off the police, John walks into the vault of his bank with two empty guitar cases and walks out with both full of banknotes. His colleagues seem either unaware of, or blithely unconcerned by, what he is doing. When he gets back to the house with the money, however, he finds out that Nadia, far from being the innocent victim of Yuri and Alexei, is actually their accomplice in the scam- indeed, she is Alexei's girlfriend.
The three Russians disappear with their loot. John, a sadder but a wiser man, hands himself into the police and is sent to jail but receives a lighter sentence because of the extenuating circumstances involved. End of story.
Again, ignore that last paragraph. I made it up. Now it is Yuri and Alexei's turn to do something bizarrely improbable. They disappear with the loot, leaving John tied up, but for some reason they also leave Nadia tied up alongside him. The ostensible reason given is that Alexei is angry because Nadia is pregnant with John's child, but both they and the scriptwriters have overlooked the fact that Nadia, who knows their true identities, is in possession of information which could put them in jail for a very long time indeed. That, I submit, would have been enough motivation for Alexei to swallow his resentment and avoid doing anything which might provoke Nadia to turn Queen's Evidence. John and Nadia go on the run and, remarkably, manage to evade detection even though John has now been identified as a suspected bank robber, his description has been widely circulated by the police and he is driving around the countryside in a highly distinctive bright orange sports car.
The casting seems just as bizarre as the plotting. Ben Chaplin as John is not too bad, but even though the other three main characters are all supposed to be Russian, none of them is actually played by a Russian. Nadia is played by Hollywood's favourite Aussie, Nicole Kidman. Presumably the film-makers cast her with an eye on the international market, but I'm afraid that the lovely Nicole did little except confirm my long-standing opinion that her undoubted talent for acting is not matched by an equal talent for picking the right film. (See also "Moulin Rouge", "The Stepford Wives", "Practical Magic" and several other turkeys of the same ilk). Yuri and Alexei are both played by French actors Mathieu Kassovitz and Vincent Cassel. God know why. The film-makers can't have had that big an eye on the French market. Large chunks of the dialogue are in Russian; I can't speak that language, but neither, apparently, can Kidman, Kassovitz and Cassel. Russians who have seen the film have described their accents as so inaccurate as to be barely comprehensible.
The film ends with John, disguised as Alexei, leaving for Russia with Sophia. We never learn what happens to them when they get there, but we are probably supposed to assume it is along the lines of "happily ever after". In real life, of course, John would probably end up in a Russian jail on a charge of entering the country on a false passport and then, when he had served his sentence, being extradited to Britain to stand trial for the bank robbery. "Birthday Girl", however, is the sort of film which has a very strained relationship with real life. Indeed, they are barely on speaking terms. 4/10
A goof. It is never explained how John, a modest bank clerk, can afford a massive five- or six-bedroomed detached house in St Albans, a notoriously expensive city to live with some of the highest property prices outside central London.
A bank clerk orders a mail-order bride from Russia online and then appears a mysterious and gorgeous girl .
ma-cortes5 July 2012
A sexy ride with Nicole Kidman who brings erotic heat to her character . It deals with a shy thirty something bank clerk named John (Ben Chaplin who subsequently didn't have a successful career) from St Albans , he has his small-town life exploded by the arrival of his Russian mail-order bride named Nadia (Nicole Kidman who shows her high range), she doesn't speak English , but the two begin to talk the international language anyway . Nadia brings some color into his drab , dull life , as John hardly has time to wallow in his newfound bliss when he's besieged by problems . Before they share a future, they have to survive her past , somebody in for a big surprise . Then the bank clerk is beset by Russian strangers (though no actor in the movie actually speaks Russian, nor does the director) claiming to be Nadia's relatives (Mattieu Kassovitz , Vincent Kassel) . The timid clerk is drawn into a cobweb of deceit , fraud and robbing .
This love story/actioner contains intrigue , suspense , drama and fine interpretations . Good performances specially by Nicole Kidman as mysterious and sexy online mail-order bride who reportedly learned Russian language for the movie , as she went to the Russian Embassy in Australia for help in speaking Russian , she didn't work with any other coach on the set except the woman from the embassy. Decent film but with no surprises , the story is predictable , being developed in right way . Adequate and thrilling musical score by Stephen Warbeck . Colorful and atmospheric cinematography by Oliver Stapleton . Being well produced by the Butterworth clan and the magnificent filmmaker/producer Sydney Pollack .
The motion picture was professionally directed by Jez Butterworth , though without originality . His feature film directorial hip debut was Mojo (1997) who also wrote and starred Ian Hart, Ewen Bremner, Aidan Gillen and Harold Pinter and was officially selected for the 1998 Venice Film Festival , being an outstanding critical and public success . Butterworth's other film writing credits include Marc Munden's Christmas and David Giles' The Night of the Golden Brain, both of which he co-wrote with his brother Tom , besides he wrote the hit smashes titled 'The last legion' and 'Fair game' . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile watching .
This love story/actioner contains intrigue , suspense , drama and fine interpretations . Good performances specially by Nicole Kidman as mysterious and sexy online mail-order bride who reportedly learned Russian language for the movie , as she went to the Russian Embassy in Australia for help in speaking Russian , she didn't work with any other coach on the set except the woman from the embassy. Decent film but with no surprises , the story is predictable , being developed in right way . Adequate and thrilling musical score by Stephen Warbeck . Colorful and atmospheric cinematography by Oliver Stapleton . Being well produced by the Butterworth clan and the magnificent filmmaker/producer Sydney Pollack .
The motion picture was professionally directed by Jez Butterworth , though without originality . His feature film directorial hip debut was Mojo (1997) who also wrote and starred Ian Hart, Ewen Bremner, Aidan Gillen and Harold Pinter and was officially selected for the 1998 Venice Film Festival , being an outstanding critical and public success . Butterworth's other film writing credits include Marc Munden's Christmas and David Giles' The Night of the Golden Brain, both of which he co-wrote with his brother Tom , besides he wrote the hit smashes titled 'The last legion' and 'Fair game' . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile watching .
Nyet
Boyo-217 April 2003
This is one annoying stupid movie.
Ben Chaplin plays the nicest, sweetest guy in the world, who gets taken for a ride by three trashy Russians, and you're supposed to find the ending strangely delightful and sweet. Well forget it, I for one do not buy a minute of this movie.
Nicole does a good job, actually all the actors are fine, its the things they say and do that slayed me. Ben robs the bank he works at so that Nicole's alleged 'cousins' won't kill her? Screw that, KILL HER! She's working an angle, too, just by inviting them to his home! She lied a thousand times way before meeting him!
I like Ben, well I would if he did a movie I could stand. Nicole I like much more post-divorce, and I like that she takes some chances with her career, but I can't say this was the wisest one she's made lately. 3/10.
Ben Chaplin plays the nicest, sweetest guy in the world, who gets taken for a ride by three trashy Russians, and you're supposed to find the ending strangely delightful and sweet. Well forget it, I for one do not buy a minute of this movie.
Nicole does a good job, actually all the actors are fine, its the things they say and do that slayed me. Ben robs the bank he works at so that Nicole's alleged 'cousins' won't kill her? Screw that, KILL HER! She's working an angle, too, just by inviting them to his home! She lied a thousand times way before meeting him!
I like Ben, well I would if he did a movie I could stand. Nicole I like much more post-divorce, and I like that she takes some chances with her career, but I can't say this was the wisest one she's made lately. 3/10.
An Enjoyable Movie with Lots of Surprises
claudio_carvalho4 July 2003
John (Ben Chaplin) is a lonely bank clerk who lives in a small town not far from London. Though the Internet, he contacts a Russian agency of brides. He selects Sophia (Nicole Kidman the guy could be lonely and shy, but certainly has a good taste, doesn't he?) and when they met each other, he realizes that she does not speak English. The communication between each other is basically limited by sex (again, imagine, what a terrible situation for the guy, just have some kinky sex with Nicole Kidman!). On her birthday, two Russian friends of her visit them. Then, lots of surprises will happen. I liked this movie: first, it is almost impossible to be 'labeled'. Is it a black comedy, an action, a thriller movie? I believe all the choices are correct. Nicole Kidman is gorgeous as usual, and I am very curious about her Russian: is she speaking Russian in a correct accent indeed, or just faking? Anyway, I found it an enjoyable movie. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Isca Perfeita" ("The Perfect Bait")
Title (Brazil): "A Isca Perfeita" ("The Perfect Bait")
Pure classical romantic style
drystyx8 January 2013
The story line isn't all that important here. It's a young man getting a beautiful mail order bride, who turns out to be trouble.
It's the classical romantic style that really picks this film up. Nicole Kidman has never been "hotter", no offense meant to her. But here she is the ultimate in romantic allure.
In true old fashioned romantic style, the woman is the mystery, and the man is the one who struggles and looks. Too often the film makers have turned this around, and it just doesn't work. Now, we get back to old fashioned basics.
It doesn't work the other way around because young men are always looking. There is no such thing as a "confident young man" who has hero quality.
A third character shows us the "confident young man". This is the guy who was lucky enough to have a criminal mentor in his youth, one lucky enough to see past the lies that elders tell other children to keep them in line of being good losers.
Our hero is one such "regular" guy, who didn't have the loving parent, guardian, or mentor. Such a guy is doomed to mediocrity, to never being elected or promoted, without regal family ties.
Our heroine is the bad girl who begins with the bad guy. In fact, the hero finds himself at the mercy of three criminals, and he is in a hopeless predicament.
The worst of them is the third character I spoke of, who is a human monster, plain and simple. The fourth character is rather likable, and provides a pretty good balance. It's important to have such a balance in the fourth character.
What transpires is a gamut of emotions. The story is second. This is a stylistic romance to the max. Whenever Nicole is on, the imagery is superb. When she is off camera, the imagery flattens. She makes the impression. This is a very well directed piece. It isn't the highest in story telling, but ranks up near the top in artistic romance.
It's the classical romantic style that really picks this film up. Nicole Kidman has never been "hotter", no offense meant to her. But here she is the ultimate in romantic allure.
In true old fashioned romantic style, the woman is the mystery, and the man is the one who struggles and looks. Too often the film makers have turned this around, and it just doesn't work. Now, we get back to old fashioned basics.
It doesn't work the other way around because young men are always looking. There is no such thing as a "confident young man" who has hero quality.
A third character shows us the "confident young man". This is the guy who was lucky enough to have a criminal mentor in his youth, one lucky enough to see past the lies that elders tell other children to keep them in line of being good losers.
Our hero is one such "regular" guy, who didn't have the loving parent, guardian, or mentor. Such a guy is doomed to mediocrity, to never being elected or promoted, without regal family ties.
Our heroine is the bad girl who begins with the bad guy. In fact, the hero finds himself at the mercy of three criminals, and he is in a hopeless predicament.
The worst of them is the third character I spoke of, who is a human monster, plain and simple. The fourth character is rather likable, and provides a pretty good balance. It's important to have such a balance in the fourth character.
What transpires is a gamut of emotions. The story is second. This is a stylistic romance to the max. Whenever Nicole is on, the imagery is superb. When she is off camera, the imagery flattens. She makes the impression. This is a very well directed piece. It isn't the highest in story telling, but ranks up near the top in artistic romance.
banal
davidwwalsh5 April 2004
I can't quite decide which is worse - the script or the directing.
We're slowly introduced to John (Chaplin), a mild mannered (the mildest EVER) bank clerk looking for a mail order bride from a russian website. It's a slow, dull start to the movie that I was hoping was just setting the scene for some interesting viewing. However, Butterworth decided to maintain this tempo for the entire movie. Low tempo can be great if you have the material and sufficiently powerful acting (Lost In Translation for example), this is turgid, the actors are cardboard at best. At times we are introduced to plot points (John's ex for example) that disappear without trace quicker than they appeared. I really feel I'm wasting my breath reviewing this terrible movie - it doesn't deserve analysis. Last word - script = first draft, director = unable to get moderately good performance from a decent cast.
We're slowly introduced to John (Chaplin), a mild mannered (the mildest EVER) bank clerk looking for a mail order bride from a russian website. It's a slow, dull start to the movie that I was hoping was just setting the scene for some interesting viewing. However, Butterworth decided to maintain this tempo for the entire movie. Low tempo can be great if you have the material and sufficiently powerful acting (Lost In Translation for example), this is turgid, the actors are cardboard at best. At times we are introduced to plot points (John's ex for example) that disappear without trace quicker than they appeared. I really feel I'm wasting my breath reviewing this terrible movie - it doesn't deserve analysis. Last word - script = first draft, director = unable to get moderately good performance from a decent cast.
Was this a comedy, thriller, romance or what?
emuir-116 January 2006
This film would have played better as a romantic comedy. Instead it was neither one thing nor another. All the performances were good, but somehow it missed the mark. More like a satire of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. The plot was too silly for a thriller, the characters were caricatures and the uptight bank clerk would have gone to the police immediately they demanded cash. As a comedy, they could have got away with a preposterous plot and the equally preposterous ending, but as a thriller, it simply fell flat.
Nicole Kidman can successfully play the sort of girl who could be a real head turner if she didn't dress like trash, combed her hair, got washed, and stopped lighting one cigarette from another. The scenes of her puffing away on a cigarette casually hanging from the side of her mouth were hilarious. She probably substituted flea market perfume for deodorant. The two Russian accomplices were also good, and Ben Chaplin was suitably uptight as the "victim". At first I thought he was too handsome to get a mail order bride, but to have made him a geek would have been too predictable. There are many handsome and successful men who just seem to strike out with the ladies.
Overall, I would rate this OK if you have absolutely nothing better to do.
Nicole Kidman can successfully play the sort of girl who could be a real head turner if she didn't dress like trash, combed her hair, got washed, and stopped lighting one cigarette from another. The scenes of her puffing away on a cigarette casually hanging from the side of her mouth were hilarious. She probably substituted flea market perfume for deodorant. The two Russian accomplices were also good, and Ben Chaplin was suitably uptight as the "victim". At first I thought he was too handsome to get a mail order bride, but to have made him a geek would have been too predictable. There are many handsome and successful men who just seem to strike out with the ladies.
Overall, I would rate this OK if you have absolutely nothing better to do.
An interesting premise that's overshadowed by a muddled plot
darkreignn19 January 2021
Starring the gorgeous Nicole Kidman as a Russian mail order bride named Nadia, "Birthday Girl" starts unassumingly enough - a man, John, played by Ben Chaplin, picks up Nadia from the airport, eager to start their new life together. But things go awry when John finds out that Nadia doesn't speak a word of English! Hijinks ensue, and for the first 15 to 20 minutes, "Birthday Girl" seems like it is going to be a romantic comedy. And then the BDSM comes into play.
Yes, "Birthday Girl" has a kinky twist that was unexpected, but not altogether unwelcome. There are some subtle, sexy scenes in here featuring mild bondage that the pervert in me quite enjoyed - there was nothing too crazy, but just enough to whet my appetite. At this point I could only assume that "Birthday Girl" was an earlier version of "50 Shades of Grey," and that the rest of the movie would be some type of kink themed romance. And then Vincent Cassel and Mathieu Kassovitz come into play.
Yes, if you didn't notice, "Birthday Girl" suffers from tonal inconsistency, especially considering that at the sight of Cassel and Kassovitz the film turns into a crime drama of sorts. The movie never fully commits to one thing or the other, which could've worked if the script was tighter. I was really enjoying all of the romance that this movie offered, because the chemistry between Kidman and Chaplin was sweet, and could've been further developed if given time to breathe. However, because the movie kept changing directions at the tip of a hat, I never found myself fully engaged, as just as I started to connect and enjoy a certain storyline, another one showed up and took over.
Kidman is the best part of the movie as Nadia - she's utterly beautiful, and has a lot of vulnerable moments, and a lot of moments where she's in complete control; in a better movie, the focus could've completely been on her relationship with Chaplin's character. And Chaplin is okay with what he has, but he doesn't really have much here. He plays a pretty one note type of character, even when he's inevitably pushed out of his comfort zone. Whether due to poor directing or writing, his character is the least interesting, which is a shame, as he's in the starring role.
"Birthday Girl" had a really interesting premise, and could've worked as a sensual thriller or romantic comedy. Instead, it seems like the movie doesn't know what it wants to be, leading to a muddled, over stuffed plot that overshadows the parts of this movie that genuinely work well.
Yes, "Birthday Girl" has a kinky twist that was unexpected, but not altogether unwelcome. There are some subtle, sexy scenes in here featuring mild bondage that the pervert in me quite enjoyed - there was nothing too crazy, but just enough to whet my appetite. At this point I could only assume that "Birthday Girl" was an earlier version of "50 Shades of Grey," and that the rest of the movie would be some type of kink themed romance. And then Vincent Cassel and Mathieu Kassovitz come into play.
Yes, if you didn't notice, "Birthday Girl" suffers from tonal inconsistency, especially considering that at the sight of Cassel and Kassovitz the film turns into a crime drama of sorts. The movie never fully commits to one thing or the other, which could've worked if the script was tighter. I was really enjoying all of the romance that this movie offered, because the chemistry between Kidman and Chaplin was sweet, and could've been further developed if given time to breathe. However, because the movie kept changing directions at the tip of a hat, I never found myself fully engaged, as just as I started to connect and enjoy a certain storyline, another one showed up and took over.
Kidman is the best part of the movie as Nadia - she's utterly beautiful, and has a lot of vulnerable moments, and a lot of moments where she's in complete control; in a better movie, the focus could've completely been on her relationship with Chaplin's character. And Chaplin is okay with what he has, but he doesn't really have much here. He plays a pretty one note type of character, even when he's inevitably pushed out of his comfort zone. Whether due to poor directing or writing, his character is the least interesting, which is a shame, as he's in the starring role.
"Birthday Girl" had a really interesting premise, and could've worked as a sensual thriller or romantic comedy. Instead, it seems like the movie doesn't know what it wants to be, leading to a muddled, over stuffed plot that overshadows the parts of this movie that genuinely work well.
How dangerous internet love connections may be...
yris200221 August 2011
A movie released in 2001, "Birthday girl" seems more actual nowadays, given the difficulty for grown-up people to connect one another, with the need to use social networks to have a date, find a mate or get whatever they want... probably ten years ago this habit was not so widespread... however, this movie starts as a light comedy and moves towards a fast-paced crime movie, with suspense, and some romance as well. The movie gets to entertain with an engaging plot, and well-rounded characters, well interpreted by a good cast. Predictable ending? Maybe, but we expect it. Beware of web love connections? Maybe, i do not refuse these ways to make new acquaintances, although my limited experience with a guy living in a chat taught me that real life is a little different form virtual life, fortunately... and that knowing a person requires something more than a net connection, and the end of the movie seems to support this simple but not so practiced matter of fact. On the whole, a lively watchable product.
If it's all the same to you...
oznoz10 April 2020
20-ish years ago I saw this movie - at home, on VHS - and in 2020 I have enough of a positive recollection to give it another viewing. As I sit through the opening credits and see Vincent Cassels and Matthieu Kassovitz show up - who I didn't remember at all, I realise I have only one actual memory of the movie as a whole ... one line from Ben Chaplin, who kind of disappeared after this movie ... but of course they're both fantastic in their own right so I stick with it. The one line comes and goes, and it's about as good as I remember it - delivered with a tight, very English sense of self-righteousness and resolve, and very dry comic timing - and then the rest of the film unfolds without too many surprises, to a more or less satisfactory conclusion.
It's probably never going to be anybody's favourite movie, but it's clever enough and I guarantee I'll still remember that one line in another decade or so, so props to Ben Chaplin for that, wherever he may be these days
A Cute Pleasure
tabuno27 January 2019
5 September 2002. The trailer for this movie didn't do the movie justice. And while the movie didn't know what it really wanted to get across, the first half of the movie being a light, romance comedy and the second have a more serious, romantic drama, the overall impact was much better than I thought it would be. This movie was more of a date movie, but the trailer made it into more of a suspense thriller which it never really turned out to be. Kidman, being one of my favorites, of course I'm biased, but this movie proved to be a light, sensitive, if somewhat quirky movie that deserved better. Three out of four stars. 9/5/02.
A total waste of time and effort!
PoochJD10 December 2002
This film's trailer interested me enough to warrant renting the DVD. However, the resulting movie is absolutely dire! Admittedly, this is not the worst film ever made, or the worst film this year, but it came damn close!
The main issue is the film not knowing what it wants to be: comedy, adult drama, thriller, teen-porn? The story is interesting, as it deals with the pitfalls of mail-order brides, but the film is a mess. What starts out as a mildly interesting "comedy" (a word I use in the loosest possible terms), then goes totally in reverse, and degenerates into a very dark and distasteful misogynistic thriller. Nicole Kidman should know better, and Ben Chaplin is wasted! As are Matthieu Kassovitz and Vincent Cassel, whom I can only presume did this for the money.
This is a bad film in pretty much every single aspect. It's not funny, it's almost so sexist that you could almost forgive Benny Hill for everything he did, and the dramatic elements are just downright nasty. A film to be avoided, unless you absolutely have to see Kidman or Chaplin in every one of their films!
The main issue is the film not knowing what it wants to be: comedy, adult drama, thriller, teen-porn? The story is interesting, as it deals with the pitfalls of mail-order brides, but the film is a mess. What starts out as a mildly interesting "comedy" (a word I use in the loosest possible terms), then goes totally in reverse, and degenerates into a very dark and distasteful misogynistic thriller. Nicole Kidman should know better, and Ben Chaplin is wasted! As are Matthieu Kassovitz and Vincent Cassel, whom I can only presume did this for the money.
This is a bad film in pretty much every single aspect. It's not funny, it's almost so sexist that you could almost forgive Benny Hill for everything he did, and the dramatic elements are just downright nasty. A film to be avoided, unless you absolutely have to see Kidman or Chaplin in every one of their films!
Good acting, somewhat implausible, leaves you wanting more
CzoykowJ29 May 2003
Every time I see Nicole I like her more. I love a movie like this. A woman you just won't give up on, but she keeps breaking your heart. First movie I remember seeing like this was Of Human Bondage, the Kim Novak - Laurence Harvey version. The beefs about the correctness of the Russian spoken in this film are petty, it was good enough to fool me or anybody else who can't speak Russian, I'm sure. Funny how people miss the point. The no-goodnik Russian guys were well cast too. Finally, I have to tip my hat to Ben Chaplin, as somebody else noted, he plays a sap with great dignity, and there was definitely some heat between him and Nicole. To think, guys get PAID for that, mind-blowing.
A total waste.
Rockwell_Cronenberg7 February 2012
A film that has no idea what it wants to be. Is it a black comedy? No, comedies are supposed to be funny. Is it a sex comedy? No, since it's not sexy either. Is it a black romance? No, romances are supposed to be romantic. Is it a light thriller? No, thrillers are supposed to be at least moderately exciting. It seems like it's aim is more in the comedy realm, constantly going for jokes that never land, but then it switches to thriller so drastically that it loses whatever pace it had going for it and then it randomly jumps around to a romance a few minutes later.
It's all over the place with no footing, since Ben Chaplin is a remarkably flat and uncharismatic lead who was painful to watch. I hate characters that are written like this, the nerdy passive loser who suddenly decides that he's an action hero, but Chaplin takes it to a new level with his complete like of anything compelling. Nicole Kidman gives it her all as a Russian mail-order bride (get it, because it's "funny") and despite her recognizable star power she is actually pretty convincing in the role. Vincent Cassel and Mathieu Kassovitz come in as two more Russians (because when you want to cast Russians, you go for Australians and Frenchmen) and while Cassel is relatively decent, Kassovitz just looks like a French guy speaking Russian.
But even if the cast was all on fire there would have been nothing to resurrect this dud from it's poor writing and direction. A real waste of some good actors, thank god director Jez Butterworth hasn't directed anything else since.
It's all over the place with no footing, since Ben Chaplin is a remarkably flat and uncharismatic lead who was painful to watch. I hate characters that are written like this, the nerdy passive loser who suddenly decides that he's an action hero, but Chaplin takes it to a new level with his complete like of anything compelling. Nicole Kidman gives it her all as a Russian mail-order bride (get it, because it's "funny") and despite her recognizable star power she is actually pretty convincing in the role. Vincent Cassel and Mathieu Kassovitz come in as two more Russians (because when you want to cast Russians, you go for Australians and Frenchmen) and while Cassel is relatively decent, Kassovitz just looks like a French guy speaking Russian.
But even if the cast was all on fire there would have been nothing to resurrect this dud from it's poor writing and direction. A real waste of some good actors, thank god director Jez Butterworth hasn't directed anything else since.
Twists Come Early On In This Drama
ccthemovieman-129 April 2006
For a film that got little publicity, and few people have heard about, this was pretty good. It's another one of these modern-day British crime films that are quirky ("Snatch," "Sexy Beast," etc.). It's not wild like "Snatch" but it's interesting and it has some rough characters.
It also has a corny and somewhat predictable ending but early in the show - not late - has some neat twists to make it very interesting for the first-time viewer. Basically, it's about a low-key British male who sends away for a Russian "mail order bride" who winds up, with the aid of two Russian male friends, providing a couple of big surprises.
Ben Chapin and Nicole Kidman co-star, and are very good as are Vincent Cassel and Matthieu Kassovitz as Kidman's Russian cohorts. This is a different kind of film and well-acted. Kidman once again proves she's far more than just a beautiful face.
It also has a corny and somewhat predictable ending but early in the show - not late - has some neat twists to make it very interesting for the first-time viewer. Basically, it's about a low-key British male who sends away for a Russian "mail order bride" who winds up, with the aid of two Russian male friends, providing a couple of big surprises.
Ben Chapin and Nicole Kidman co-star, and are very good as are Vincent Cassel and Matthieu Kassovitz as Kidman's Russian cohorts. This is a different kind of film and well-acted. Kidman once again proves she's far more than just a beautiful face.
Nicole saves this one, and makes it good!
Flowbeer21 June 2006
I saw this one at the theatre and it was pretty decent, regardless of what some critics have said about it. This film reminds me of another Brit-film called B-Monkey, and I wondered if they had wanted to cast Asia Argento in this one too, because I think she was born for this role! I was surprised that Nicole Kidman did this role, because I felt it was beneath her. Like she's "too good" to do this role. I just figured she'd want a bigger-budget deal, so to see her in this low-budget small-time film, I was honestly surprised, yet intrigued. She pulled it off well. (Spoilers!) Her Russian accent was great! It was wild to see her act like she didn't know any English at first, and towards the end, you see that she really could, but was just faking it! You can see the plot coming once she arrives in London. You just KNOW some goons are gonna come out of the wood-work soon and rob the guy - and they do! You feel sorry for the poor lonely bloke and the sad thing is, there's a gal co-worker who actually likes him and asks him what he's doing for the weekend and he blows her off and runs home, to be alone! Instead, he orders a complete STRANGER, a "mail-order-bride" from Russia! Can you imagine dealing with someone who does NOT speak your language, who is NOT from the same part of the world as you are, who does NOT see things as you do politically or who does not appreciate who you are as a person? Well, he ordered a mail-order "bride" and she turned out to be a fraud! A damned pretty fraud, but a fraud nonetheless. A decent movie, if not a bit predictable. I give it a 6 out of 10 votes! Mainly because Nicole is so damned HOT in this one. But I can't help but wonder: What would this film have been like if Asia Argento had played her part?
Dithering black comedy that wasn't supposed to be funny and ends up equally anti-climatic.
johnnyboyz19 October 2007
Birthdays: normally a time for happiness, fun, an opportunity for friends and family to get in contact with you via cards or phone calls wishing their regards but here; in Birthday Girl, there is none of that. John (Chaplin) is a guy whose life is plain and dull in his honest opinion; so bad in fact that he orders a girl over the internet to come and live with him; this premise is about as exciting as John's life is or was and for the record; doesn't make sense: he orders a 'mail bride' yet when she offers him the ring, he declines; there is no set up involving the company so we're sort of lead to believe that it doesn't exist but since it's on the Internet where millions can access it, it seems a little far fetched that Sophia or Nadia (Kidman) or whatever should show up on John's door when there are probably hundreds and hundreds of richer, more closer to home people she could go to.
Birthday Girl is a sort of hybrid of 2005's Derailed and Almodóvar's quirky film from 1990: Átame! The idea that a guy and a girl get involved when they shouldn't really be is toyed with in Birthday Girl since she's a mail order bride whereas in Átame, Banderas' character had been freed from a psychiatric hospital and in Derailed, the male and the female just hook up on a train Chaplin in this film even looks a little like Clive Owen. Unfortunately, Birthday Girl falls short of both films which were rather enjoyable in the end because of its lack of confidence. Derailed gets a little nasty once Vincent Cassel (who's also in this) shows up and that propels twists, turns and a good character study of Clive Owen's Charles Schine and what to do but Birthday Girl just seems to lack punch, it lacks violence and it lacks that hard-boiled, noir undertone, revenge feel that I really wish it had.
Birthday Girl has problems not only with its content and which way it's going to go but with its characters and their logic as well as the film's overall logic. Things turn a little ugly once Alexei (Cassel) and Yuri (Kassovitz) turn up and yet when John is suspicious, the police don't even seem to enter the equation over whether or not he should consult them likewise; when he is pressured into stealing money it is the fear of them doing something outrageous to Nadia that stops him from alerting the authorities and only because since her arrival, she's been supplying him with his sadomasochistic desires that I can only guess was the reason for getting her because he was on the verge of giving her up what with all the phone calls back to the website. This spawns two things: First, why didn't HE instigate the sadomasochism instead of leaving her to find out and secondly, did he really think they would harm their own cousin out of jealousy of his 'perfect life' with 'perfect house' and car? They'd been there a few days and not had any problem all of a sudden they are sick with envy and are going to kill their own cousin; like that'll do anything and without fooling around, when that scene happened it was so out of the blue that I questioned the authenticity. If they wanted him to steal money, they would've threatened him or perhaps HIS cousins.
Like I said; instead of developing into a revenge film, it flags and bothers about with further character development between John and Nadia, who by this time you rather dislike, before giving him lungs of steel in order to chase down a taxi just when he needs to. John, like the film, remains passive; the antagonists disappear for a day or two before popping up again just when they need to (they're stupid enough to hang around) and just when you need a violent, entertaining finale with a strong lead you get John trying to scare this hardened Russian con artist with a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun, it's pretty laughable. Birthday Girl doesn't have any stand out things about it but just potters along at a pace that is good but nothing great. I didn't feel anything for John except sorrow for him but I was doing that after five minutes. This could've been a great character study about how far one man will go (like Derailed did) to beat the odds but it ended up as a damp, nothing drama about a bunch of people who have nothing better to do.
Birthday Girl is a sort of hybrid of 2005's Derailed and Almodóvar's quirky film from 1990: Átame! The idea that a guy and a girl get involved when they shouldn't really be is toyed with in Birthday Girl since she's a mail order bride whereas in Átame, Banderas' character had been freed from a psychiatric hospital and in Derailed, the male and the female just hook up on a train Chaplin in this film even looks a little like Clive Owen. Unfortunately, Birthday Girl falls short of both films which were rather enjoyable in the end because of its lack of confidence. Derailed gets a little nasty once Vincent Cassel (who's also in this) shows up and that propels twists, turns and a good character study of Clive Owen's Charles Schine and what to do but Birthday Girl just seems to lack punch, it lacks violence and it lacks that hard-boiled, noir undertone, revenge feel that I really wish it had.
Birthday Girl has problems not only with its content and which way it's going to go but with its characters and their logic as well as the film's overall logic. Things turn a little ugly once Alexei (Cassel) and Yuri (Kassovitz) turn up and yet when John is suspicious, the police don't even seem to enter the equation over whether or not he should consult them likewise; when he is pressured into stealing money it is the fear of them doing something outrageous to Nadia that stops him from alerting the authorities and only because since her arrival, she's been supplying him with his sadomasochistic desires that I can only guess was the reason for getting her because he was on the verge of giving her up what with all the phone calls back to the website. This spawns two things: First, why didn't HE instigate the sadomasochism instead of leaving her to find out and secondly, did he really think they would harm their own cousin out of jealousy of his 'perfect life' with 'perfect house' and car? They'd been there a few days and not had any problem all of a sudden they are sick with envy and are going to kill their own cousin; like that'll do anything and without fooling around, when that scene happened it was so out of the blue that I questioned the authenticity. If they wanted him to steal money, they would've threatened him or perhaps HIS cousins.
Like I said; instead of developing into a revenge film, it flags and bothers about with further character development between John and Nadia, who by this time you rather dislike, before giving him lungs of steel in order to chase down a taxi just when he needs to. John, like the film, remains passive; the antagonists disappear for a day or two before popping up again just when they need to (they're stupid enough to hang around) and just when you need a violent, entertaining finale with a strong lead you get John trying to scare this hardened Russian con artist with a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun, it's pretty laughable. Birthday Girl doesn't have any stand out things about it but just potters along at a pace that is good but nothing great. I didn't feel anything for John except sorrow for him but I was doing that after five minutes. This could've been a great character study about how far one man will go (like Derailed did) to beat the odds but it ended up as a damp, nothing drama about a bunch of people who have nothing better to do.
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