Birthday Girl

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Birthday Girl ★★ 2002 (R)

Love story cum actioner stars Chaplin as a timid London bank clerk, John, and Kidman as Nadia, his mysterious and sexy online Russian mail-order bride with a secret. Nadia doesn't speak English, but the two begin to speak the international language anyway. Afraid, intrigued, then tickled with his Soviet missus who brings some color into his dull, drab life, John hardly has time to wallow in his newfound bliss when he's beset by Russian baddies (Frenchmen Kassovitz and Cassel) claiming to be Na dia's relatives, who show up on his doorstep one day. Kidman shows her range, however, and reportedly learned Russian for the film. Decent turn from the Butterworth clan, who also produced the hip debut film “Mojo.” 93m/C VHS, DVD . US GB Nicole Kidman, Ben Chaplin, Vincent Cassel, Mathieu Kassovitz, Kate Evans; D: Jez Butterworth; W: Jez Butterworth, Tom Butterworth; C: Oliver Stapleton; M: Stephen Warbeck.