Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #211551 in DVD
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, Thai
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.com
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

Customer Reviews

Interesting Subtext and Great Acting make this a Film
This is a film, it seems, that people either love or hate. There is truth, perhaps, to both the criticism and the compliments that have been bandied about by this film. One thing that is clear to me is that looking more deeply into the film's subtext would probably change a lot of minds.

True, some of the auxiliary characters are cliche' and underdeveloped. But in fairness, that's why they are "auxiliary."

True, not all of the sets and camera work were Academy Award character. But once again, in fairness, the imagery of the film and the beautiful use of light and color makes some of those faults less apparent.

True, it is a horrible story about what "happened" to them. Yet once again echoing other reviewers, this story is not really about the horror of the prison experience in and of itself.

What holds this movie together is the acting of Danes and the complexity of her character. What did happen between her and Nick Barnes? We never really know. What we see is a conflicted person who wants desperately to be believed while everyone, including her own father, sees her as the "trouble-maker" and assumes her guilt.

The relationship she develops with Bill Pullman's character brings out this complexity. He is the only one to shower the kindness of presumed innocence on her, and perhaps that is what prompts her to take the fall for her friend.

The question is, do you really think she was taking the fall or did she know more than she says? Or was it Darlene playing the innocent victim? We are left to wonder and to replay the scenes of them on their way to the airport attempting to figure out who, if anybody, really was innocent in all of this.

Those who like interesting character studies will enjoy this performance. A great soundtrack and a pretty good movie make this sufficient eye-candy for the rest of us. I recommend it!

Friendship
Dismissed by some as lightweight because they felt the Thailand prison scenes were not brutal enough, this is actually a terrific film about the complex friendship of two girls and a sacrifice made by one to save the other. Claire Danes gives a great performance as the girl most likely to get into trouble and Kate Beckinsale shines as the good girl who sees more in her friend than her parents do, especially her father.

After graduating high school they cook up a scheme to visit exotic Thailand on the cheap and do something special, telling Beckinsale's parents they are off to Hawaii. They meet Aussie Daniel Lapaine and he charms both girls into going to Hong Kong with them to continue their adventure. Jealousy plays a part as it is unclear at first which one he likes the best. But all is not as it seems and he disappears just as heroin is found by customs in their backpack.

What follows as they are imprisoned in Thailand with seemingly no way out as each begins to question their friendship and wonder if maybe, just maybe, the other one knew about the heroin, is compelling. Beckinsale's father comes to Thailand and, of course, blames Danes for getting his daughter into this mess. Danes does a good job at conveying the hurt she is trying not to show for the faith no one has ever shown in her, except for her friend Beckinsale.

Bill Pullman gives a solid performance as a slightly opportunistic and sleazy lawyer in Thailand who may be able to help them get out for a price. Adding to the atmosphere is a soundtrack just as exotic as the locale. Everything from Delerium's "Silence" and a remake of "Rock the Casbah" to the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman on "Deliverance" set a unique mood for a good film.

This is an entertaining and thought provoking meditation on friendship and loyalty. A sacrifice by one to save the other is one you'll never forget. Beckinsale, and especially Danes, really sparkle in an unusual film you won't want to miss. Pick this one up. It's a nice surprise.

Wonderful Movie
Many negative reviews seem to be under the misapprehension that this movie is about something which it is not. Something that, if it were to incorporate those elements, would completely change the character of the film--turning it from a story about friendship, character, and life's little events to one about the horrors of the foreign prison.

This film is not about prison or about life in prison. It is not about drug smuggling. Criticizing it on this is like saying that Pirates of the Caribbean is a horrible movie because it doesn't represent an accurate portrayal of shipboard life.

It is a stunningly beautiful and well done (at points artistic) portrayal of the depths of friendship and the strength of human character ("if you are lying..."). The sets and acting are wonderful, the examination of the Thai legal system seemed fair (regardless of whether those are the actual conditions in prison, I am not qualified to judge nor do I care for the purposes of this film), and there were several underlying moral questions without clear answers.

Which is another thing: this movie doesn't leave you with all of the answers. Nothing is left accidentally dangling, but there are several things left for you to chew on.