Harvey (Weaving) has always dreamed of writing a detective novel. His practical experience as a P.I. ends in disaster when he discovers his girlfriend is cheating on him with the husband of a client. In the meantime, Katia (Kovikova), a pretty Russian Jew, arrives in Australia to find her prospective husband dead. Their paths cross when Harvey's married best friend Ethan (Wenham), falls in love with Katia and convinces Harvey to marry her in order for her to remain in Australia. However, there is one problem: Harvey and Katia hate each other. Yet (as you'd expect with a romantic comedy) there's also a fair bit of sexual tension.
As the efforts to feign the act of the young-couple-in-love get increasingly out of control, tensions are caused in the friendship of Ethan and Harvey when Harvey discovers how compatible he and Katia really are.
Although I'm the kind of person that finds sentimental pap like Notting Hill excruciatingly painful to watch, this film grew on me. It's a lot wittier and darker than most romantic comedies, and (of course), it features some great home-grown talent. Hugo Weaving and Natalia Novikova are simply wonderful. So come along if you'd like to see some big Australian names shine in a rather charming local film.