Variety
Astonishingly, pic reaped hearty guffaws at Berlinale press show, suggesting this might play best in Europe, but Anglophone auds are more likely to give Palm the thumbs down.
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Irina Palm
Ex-rocker Marianne Faithfull stars as Maggie, a 50-year-old widow who takes a job in a sex club to pay for her grandson's medical treatment.
Desperately in need in cash and after several unfruitful attempts to find a job, Maggie's eye is caught by a poster in London's Soho - a "hostess" is wanted for a place called Sexy World. She naively applies and gets the job. At first, Maggie finds it tough but wisecracking colleague Luisa (Gryllus) shows her the ropes and the two women strike up a friendship. Club owner Miki (Manojlovic) has a soft spot for the dutiful Maggie, and transforms her into the much-in-demand and lucrative Irina Palm.
Desperately in need in cash and after several unfruitful attempts to find a job, Maggie's eye is caught by a poster in London's Soho - a "hostess" is wanted for a place called Sexy World. She naively applies and gets the job. At first, Maggie finds it tough but wisecracking colleague Luisa (Gryllus) shows her the ropes and the two women strike up a friendship. Club owner Miki (Manojlovic) has a soft spot for the dutiful Maggie, and transforms her into the much-in-demand and lucrative Irina Palm.
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2007Rating: R16, Contains offensive language and sex scenes103 minsBelgium, Luxembourg, UK, Germany, France
Drama
- Director:
- Sam Garbarski ('The Rashevski Tango')
- Writer:
- Martin HerronPhilippe Blasband
- Cast:
- Marianne FaithfullMiki ManojlovicKevin BishopSiobhan HewlettDorka Gryllus
Irina Palm | Reviews
66%47 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® Score
All reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
The New York Times
Irina Palm is, for the most part, a phony trifle, but at its heart, somehow, is a real and fascinating person.
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Hollywood Reporter
Marianne Faithfull is unforgettable as a middle-class, middle-aged frump …in Sam Garbarski's crowd-pleasing comedy-drama Irina Palm.
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Sunday Star-Times
Like Bess, the lead character of Lars von Trier's harrowing Breaking the Waves, Maggie is simply good. And Irina Palm is simply brilliant.
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Los Angeles Times
Genially preposterous and pleasantly diverting, it balances calculation against humanity and generally comes out on top.
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Empire Magazine
There's a heartwarming quality that softens the hardcore setting but this does lack an assured, er, hand.
Full reviewIrina Palm | Release Details
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