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Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
MAIL ORDER WIFE
Andrew Gurland, a young documentary filmmaker, explores the quiet phenomenon
of mail order brides. Adrian, a lonely Queens resident, agrees to be
the subject of the film if Andrew and his crew pay for the bride. Lichi
(Eugenia Yuan) arrives straight from Burma, and the filming seems to be running
smoothly until Andrew objects to Adrian's sadistic treatment of Lichi
and violates his role of an impartial observer. Treated like some kind of
commodity, Lichi, a clean slate of sorts, soon takes on the same
abrasive traits as the men, all caught on film
A dark comedy shot in cinéma vérité style, Mail Order Wife tells its
sordid
story with unprecedented realism. But it's the performances that go a long
way towards making the film seem very real. Adrian Martinez fully inhabits
his role as a twisted bachelor who puts his new bride through all sorts of
cruel and unusual situations. (The scene where he makes her watch his pet
snake eat a mouse ought to raise the collective temperature of PETA).
And Eugenia Yuan is a real find as Lichi, who evolves from a naïve fish out of
water to a shrieking nuisance. Co-director Gurland plays himself, but his
performance frequently comes off as contrived.
Aside from the documentary feel, the movie also purports to be a comic
satire. Unfortunately, once the film is examined outside of its impressive
packaging, it becomes clear it falls short. It's a comedy without
many laughs (excluding one hilarious scene where Lichi begins to collect toy
pigs), and there isn't much satire either. The
only message seems to be "Getting a mail-order wife is a bad idea." Mail
Order Wife is a stunt that is sometimes compelling, but will likely leave
a bad taste in your mouth. Rob Glidden
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