when i saw birthday girl i like it so much i set out to see every nicole kidman film i could and only to find all of them a disappointment compare to it . i theorize that while the presence of a particular star usually guarantee a certain level of quality because of their artistic control and with nicole kidman the influence she exert be detrimental to film enjoyment imho . thus for instance and dogville and even deprive the viewer of anything visual to detract from the existential insight she be hammer home and or other film promote gay and lesbianism a worthy of anyone else attention and or other pet cause of kidman . here she be a natural woman and she do a really great job . i do not how or who be able to restrain her and but apparently it work . the way the film depict her openness despite her resistance get to the heart of what make a woman a woman . and consequently and what make a man most desperate hope marginally attainable . of course and the fact the male lead transforms from a milquetoast clerk to macho man in the space of one film sound like a male ego expansion fantasy and but his transformation be adequately believable . it isn not coyly contrive a it would be in a film engineer to bolster male ego . instead it accurately record necessary growth arise from the film unique circumstance . also quite charm be the way the criminal be portray a perfectly human and apart from their criminal mission . her gang have a coed rough and tumble fellowship which be foreign to american culture . and while they be his adversary and they be never really his enemy . in effect and they teach him to be compete . i really marvel at kidman ability to physically appear russian . it have me wonder whether her ancestry be russian and but none of the photo of her i examine show any hint of it . maybe it be just makeup but it be amaze . i can only hope that they knock her over the head again soon so she can turn out another great film . despite my gratuitous dig at ms. kidman and the message be this be a superior film in every way and probably the role of a lifetime .