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60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious ..., August 10, 2005
This review is from: Girl From Rio (DVD)
A very watchable comedy movie.
The very simple story revloves around Raymond Wood (the wonderful Hugh Laurie) who works for a small Bank in the city of London. He seems to be in a (classic) mid-life crisis. Raymond's wife is having an affair with his boss, who doesn't like Raymond one bit and has been denying him promotion for two years in a running. Raymond loves Samba dance, harbors a day dream to visit Rio and dance with Orlinda (a very famous Samba carnival dancer). On a whim, Raymond steals lots of money from his bank and catches a direct flight to Rio. He runs into a clumsy Taxi driver, Pablo who takes him on a joy ride all across Rio. He also helps Raymond meet with Orlinda (the very gorgeous Vanessa Nunes). Raymond falls for Orlinda and this starts a chain of interesting events, brushes with the Mafia, street chases and great escapes.
The foot-tapping and soul-tickling Samba music is amazing (will make you run to the nearest music store to grab a copy). Rio provides a beautiful backdrop (reaffirming it as the Planet's most beautiful city).
Hugh Laurie plays his part to perfection and you'll probably won't get enough of Vanessa Nunes.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Try It, You'll Like It, July 29, 2005
This review is from: Girl From Rio (DVD)
Coming to this film with low expectations, I was happily surprised to find this a diverting, charming, and sweet confection. My initally sceptical teenage boys also watched it with great satisfaction, enjoying in particular the wonderful scenery of Rio and the gorgeous legs of co-star Vanessa Nunes. I found Hugh Laurie believably naive and awkward as the cuckolded London bank officer who takes off on the trip of his fantasies to Rio. And he really did pull off the sexy samba scenes quite well! As a fan of his hit TV show "House," it was a treat to see this great actor in a completely different role.
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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Fluff, July 31, 2005
This review is from: Girl From Rio (DVD)
Suspend all disbelief and have a good time. Once again, Hugh Laurie is handed a role that's somewhat beneath him, but he makes the best of it. He plays the victim so well and isn't half bad as a samba dancer, either, but the film turns so silly at times that it's a little embarrassing to watch. Laurie's comic style is a bit like the young Dick Van Dyke's: very physical. His years in vehicles like "Blackadder" and "Jeeves & Wooster" have shown, however, that he's capable of much more refined and esoteric comedy, and his role in "House" demonstrates his depth as a dramatic actor as well. Although he's perfect for this role, I feel his talents are rather wasted here. The locales and music, however, are superb, and the huge dance & drum number is breathtaking. I'm going to go out to buy some samba CDs now.
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