Alice (Claire Danes) and Darlene (Kate Beckinsale) are best friends on their post-high-school whirlwind vacation. Telling their parents they're off for Hawaii, they head instead to Thailand, where they stay at a $6-a-night dive and sneak drinks at a posh hotel. They both fall sway to the charms of a handsome Australian (Daniel Lapaine), who invites them to Hong Kong. Off they go, although unbeknownst to them (or is it? this question is never fully answered), one of them has heroin in her backpack. Sentenced to 33 years in a Thai jail, they find their friendship begins to deteriorate as their trust in each other fades. They enlist the help of Yankee Hank (Bill Pullman), a greedy but knowledgeable American lawyer living in Asia.
The main flaws of this film are the capital-L lessons: friendship is powerful, don't trust strangers, nice girls shouldn't drink and sleep around. The film's bleakest moments, in the jail, aren't all that bad, and in this respect Brokedown Palace has nothing on the intensity of films such as Midnight Express or even Return to Paradise. Yet Danes and Beckinsale prove they are strong actresses, and their characters' friendship is suitably complex and believable. --Jenny Brown Amazon.com
 |  | IF YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT SMUGGLING DRUGS..... |  |
IF YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT SMUGGLING DRUGS FOR A LIVING, THIS SHOULD CAUSE YOU TO REEXAMINE THAT DECISION. WELL ACTED AND PRESENTED. SORT OF A FEMALE VERSION OF 'MIDNIGHT RUN'.
June 2, 2008 | | Claire Danes' finest performance... | |
...I've seen this movie many, many times now and I enjoy watching the movie every single time, even knowing how the movie will end. The reason why, in my opinion, is because of the great performance of Claire Danes. She plays the role so convincingly well that at the end of the movie you actually buy into the choice her character makes, and that makes it believable, understandable and plausible. In the absence of such a performance, I don't think the ending would have worked so well. I've seen other movies she's done, and I don't think she's ever been better. If she doesn't do another movie or reprise another role, she should be proud of the work she does here. The movie would not have worked without her. Period.
May 20, 2008 | | Big Bore-Rip-Off of a classic | |
Let me start off by saying, This a Prison movie, rated pg-13, not to metion this takes place in a womens prison in Thailand!! umm hello, lets be realistic. What prison in th U.S. even is rated pg-13. Anyways, Total rip off of a great movie from the late 80's called "Purgatory" Identical plots, only this one is a Overly Dramatic, One sided, Lifetime movie!! These two girls mistakenly get charged for smuggling drugs, and end up in a prison resort. Nobody really messes with them, the hardess labor they do is cleaning dishes, and they get group naps with walkmen. Weak if you like lifetime junk, this is for you. If not, then Check out "Purgatory", two words Tanya Roberts!! "Purgatory" is what this movie didn't have the brass to pull off. It's the same plot, two beautiful girls end up with some guy they just met, get arrested for unknowingly smuggling drugs. But "Purgatory" is a realistic movie worth watching, it has everthing you'd expect from a female prison movie in a 3rd world country,: Corruption, Violence, Drugs, Rape, Murder, Suicide etc.. Do the right thing and spend you money on a true Classic "Purgatory" !!
May 12, 2008Pretty good movie. Story line and plot flow well. Stronger language than anticipated. Parents should preview language before allowing kids to watch.
December 25, 2007This movie is fantastic to portray the depth of friendship. Must watch even though some may not like the actresses cast in the movie.
However, I ordered this on the 17th, received today, tore out the plastic, and figured that the internal disc holding mechanism is broken. Oh well, I have CD pocket holders for the disc, not a big deal. However, this is one of the first totally unusable, broken casing disc holder mechanism, I have received.
December 22, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
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