Beautician and the Beast

The premise here is that children in Eastern European countries should be exposed not only to American ways, but also to Fran Drescher? Right, and what an opportunity for her to stretch as an actress! From TV's Nanny to a ballsy American tutor in a foreign country, Drescher plays out The Sound of Music scenario with her trademark nails-against-a-New-York-blackboard voice with game chutzpah. Drescher is a beautician, who charms the country of Slovetzia and wins the heart of ‘Boris the Beast' (Timothy Dalton), a tyrannical president who, beneath it all, is just a lonely widow with four sad children. This completely predicable piece of fluff is a feel nauseous/sweet kind of thing with a fairy tale happy ending that thankfully doesn't pretend to be more. How's that for truth in advertising? Optional. (N. Plympton)