A Foreign Affair
Release Date:
May 7, 2004
Limited release
Apparently, there is a phenomenon taking place in this world today known as "the Romance Tour." On these, ahem, vacations, men can go overseas to Russian cities such as Moscow, Volgograd, Riga and many more to stay in 4-star accomodations with the select purpose of meeting women, preferably for marrying. One very real company that arranges these tours, A Foreign Affair Introductions and Tours, boasts that visitors can meet anywhere from 500 to 2000 visitors per tour. Even better, they average seven engagements per day!
This real company provides the fictional premise behind the not coincidentally titled film A Foreign Affair, which debuted at Sundance back in 2003. Tim Blake Nelson and David Arquette play brothers Jake and Josh, who head off to Russia for just such a romance tour as I have described above. Since their mother has died, it seems that their housekeeping situation is in rather dire straits, so they are looking for a "traditionally-minded" wife. One wife to share between them both.
Debut director Helmut Schleppi takes the absurdist approach here, but reviews published to date also note that the story is a surprisingly deft commentary on brotherly love, self-dependence and independence, and marriage. It also provides a bit of wry commentary on the notion of Romance Tours themselves.
A Foreign Affair was shot almost entirely on location in St. Petersburg, Russia and Chihuahua, Mexico, which should make for some very lush scenery and lovely cinematography to soften the edge somewhat.
Never let it be said that Nelson and Arquette are traditional in their film selections. A Foreign Affair will be another quirky project in a long line of many on both of their resumes. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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