Mail Order Wife

The rating for this film might be a little misleading. Judging by the comments it seems that many of the people who gave it a low score did so out of the sorrow they felt for the main character, and the disgust they felt for the men using her rather than out of a low opinion of the quality of the film. I actually think that the people who gave this film the lowest score are some of the people who felt the exact way the filmmakers want the audience to feel.

This film reminds me of "Dogville" in a way. They both do a good job at demonstrating the immoral and vile behavior that humans can practice toward one another when it's self-serving, and the justifications they can give. (You wonder sometimes if people really believe what they put forth as their point of view, if they grow to believe it out of a need to relieve guilt or if they secretly live in the guilt, being eaten up and causing their often defensive and miserable dispositions.) Don't get me wrong, this film is no Dogville, but the filmmakers do a decent job at revealing this human flaw that is the bane of this society. It's mockumentary style allows us to connect the characters to their real life counterparts rather than tossing their awful behavior aside as just something fictional (though it was).

It was a smart film. It takes thought to make up for lack of budget, and that's why you find some of the best films in the independent film world. I have friends who are filmmakers (honestly, none worked on this film). I hope more filmmakers dig a little deeper, be it in comedy, drama, horror, or whatever. These guys made a film that stays with you past the last bite of popcorn. That's an accomplishment.

I was immediately engrossed in the film. It was a great story and the actors were believable as real people filming a documentary. It is one of those movies that you think about for days after wards and discuss the many rich details with people who've also seen it.

The fullness of the characters, the humor, the sadness -- just that slice of life's realities reminded me of another great sleeper film called "Simply Ballroom." (Though the stories are very, very different.) The entire there clapped when Mail Order Wife ended and you could tell that people loved it by their comments and smiles.

I wish this film had gotten more press and hope that it becomes more well known when it gets to video.

...but please let's not go too crazy over this movie! It was decent...hence my "5" rating. An extremely dark comedy with a great plot. However, at times (especially in the beginning), I was surprised this was even referred to as a "comedy."

Eugenia Yuan is clearly the star in this picture, and does a great job in her role. I hope this role will help give her the opportunity to appear in more movies.

Maybe because I saw it on DVD, but I knew this wasn't a "real" documentary. I'm surprised anyone could have thought this was real. Then again, I remember there were many people who saw "The Blair Witch Project" and thought it was a documentary.

i hated andrew and adrian. and at least you know what kind of a jerk adrian is right up front. andrew was by far the worse human being. i guess since i've known a few filipino mail order brides who came over looking for a better life and married white American losers whom no American women could put up with, i recognized too much behavior in adrian and then andrew. what a jerk. there was nothing that Lucia did that made me think she deserved either one of those men, or any of the other men she had experience with. (heck, yes, i even know the horny old goats too who want to take advantage.)

the things people will put up with in pursuit of possible betterment of their situations.

what possessed this guy to make a film like this? exposing even a fictional jerk side of himself???? bleah.

I was completely fooled by this. I really thought it was a Documentary. I must admit when Litchi started screaming she wanted a baby and the part where the co-director's father secreted her off to a hotel room I did wonder if it was all a put-on. Just brilliant in sustaining the illusion of reality storytelling. Knowing in advance it's all a mockumentary does ruin it a bit but not knowing makes this an amazing piece of film making to watch unfold. Apparently this was all scripted but it comes across as completely spontaneous. I'd certainly keep an eye on this film maker in the future. He has an edge to him that is lacking in a lot of more mainstream Hollywood directors.