Relatively inoffensive, fairy-tale fluff that contrives to deposit brassy Queens beautician with a heart of gold Joy Miller (Fran Drescher) in the heart of a grimly contemporary version of the sort of imaginary
mittel-European kingdom
where once found romance. She's meant to teach science to the children of the titular beast, President-for-Life Boris Pochenko (Timothy Dalton), a dictator who bears an uncanny and not especially amusing resemblance to Joseph Stalin. Instead, she ferrets out Pochenko's soft center, hidden beneath
intimidating layers of military regalia and stern mannerisms, and finds true love. Equal parts THE SOUND OF MUSIC (
sans music)...
Released:
1997
Rated:
PG
Length:
118 mins