Brokedown Palace
[DVD Info]

Two best friend's Alice Marano (Claire Danes) and Darlene Davis (Kate Beckinsale) graduate high school and want to make their last time together unforgettable. Hawaii is so overrated...why not Thailand? It's super cheap and supposed to be beautiful. When they get there they sneak into an expensive hotel to use the pool and put drinks on someone else's room. When they get caught a mysterious aussie man comes to their rescue. Both girls are instantly smitten with him. He asks him to accompany him to Hong Kong...he has to do some business there but he'll leave a day ahead and they can meet up. Alice doesn't want to go but Darlene begs her to go saying "c'mon, I always do this kind of shit for you." So off they go. When they arrive at the airport they are stopped by customs who confiscate their bag, where they find 20 kilos of heroin.

They are dragged into a cell where they demand they sign a confession. Alice refuses to sign it. They do, however, trick Dalene into signing it and off to a thai jail they go. They go to trial and they both get 33 years. They enlist the help of the best liar in Thailand, Hank Greene (Bill Pullman). Darlene packed the bag...but Alice was the last alone with it...Everyone thinks Alice did it but did she? Was is Darlene, blinded by passion?

"Thai means freedom...which was exactly what we were looking for. Isn't it funny how such little things lead into bigger things?" ~Alice.

Darlene has to be the stupidest girl alive. No matter how much passion or first love you feel for someone you just met...you don't just flit off to Hong Kong with someone you barely know! If it was meant to be...you'll keep in touch. Yeesh...maybe it's because I've been to a lot of countries and whatnot...but it seems like basic knowledge.

Okay, what was up with that Thai girl in the prison? What was her problem? She was terrible! Always telling on them and making them do stuff that's against the rules...these girls don't speak thai...how would they know? Arrrg! She needed a good punch in the face.

This movie was really sad (the ending made me cry) but it really shows the true meaning of friendship and how easily a perfect life can be ruined. I wish they would give more of a solid ending. They never really explain what happened. This is a really beautiful movie that everyone needs to see before they go to a foreign country. Because of this, the jury gives this flick:

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