:: Russian Doll

Hugo Weaving is one of Australia’s finest actors and can adapt himself to any role, as he has done on countless occasions. In “Russian Doll”, he’s taken on the added role of co-producer. He plays Harvey, a 39-year-old private detective and wannabe novelist. His life has revolved around romantic betrayal and break-ups. As a PI, his caseload involves videotaping errant spouses in the act of cheating. He believes that he may have found true love for himself in Alison (Helen Dallimore) until surveillance of a cheating husband proves that, in fact, he has been cheating with Harvey’s girlfriend. Harvey longs for a stable relationship; like that of his best friend Ethan (David Wenham), who seems to have it all.

Meanwhile, Katia (Natalia Novikova), a young Jewish woman from St Petersburg, has similar unsettling problems in her homeland and goes to a matchmaker who finds a prospective husband in Sydney, Australia. Instead of finding true love, she finds him dead. Being low in self-esteem and desperately unhappy, she meets Ethan who takes her under his wing and falls in love, thereby foiling Harvey’s idea that his friend was set in marital bliss with his wife and child. Harvey is appalled with Ethan but then becomes embroiled in the plot to keep Katia in the country. She has to marry somebody, otherwise she’d be on her way back to Russia. Harvey reluctantly agrees to meet Katia with this plan in mind. One can usually sense where this story will go, but the enjoyment is seeing it all materialise. “The Russian Doll” concept refers to the way the hollow dolls open up to reveal another, and so on – layer after layer – saying something about the nature of such relationships. It’s a good romantic film, well photographed in the beach community and well edited to keep the film moving briskly.

Director Stavros Kazantzidis captures the feelings of the various cultures at work; the relaxed, enjoyable Russian and Jewish sectors. Natalia Novikova lights up the screen in her debut film with very expressive features. David Wenham, Sacha Horler, and Rebecca Frith all put in fine performances, while Hugo Weaving is great as the neurotic protagonist. He is true to his usual high standard. The director and writers obviously demonstrate a lot of passion and generally adhere to the job of entertaining the viewer. It’s a used theme, but with good laughs and resolutions, the film stands up well for sheer enjoyment.

Screening at Cinema Nova, Classic Cinemas and Cinema Europa