User Reviews

It's too often with short, independent films that directors feel the need to use that short amount of time to shock you into an emotion or fear.. through blood, gore, incest, guns, violence, absurdity, etc.

It's refreshing to see a short film in which you get to see a story with heart and humor.. and a slice of life with a little compassion. Making you FEEL.

FOREIGN English is one of those films. You have an endearing lead character (yes, I also echo the "great actor" sentiment of the other post-ers) who you side with and laugh with, and feel for.

Some of the other acting wasn't as strong and as a side effect, left some of the dialog sounding forced. Diab writes in his own style, as I've seen his other films, and it becomes obvious when his actors don't catch his meaning, and the film suffers as a result.

I didn't think as much of this film on the first go 'round, perhaps because of the poor screening facilities, but the next go was on a big screen HD TV which really showcased some of the beautiful shots that Diab was trying to capture. There are some nice shots and the story is well told.

***spoilers** I think it's funny to see what would happen if you had a man who quite literally didn't understand women. The interview scene was well done, because that's the first time it really hammers home what's going on.. the man sneaking a peak at the interviewer's breasts... not hearing a word she's saying.. and still asking for the male manager. Very nice. And when we get to hear the garbled words as he hears a woman.. that helps us to feel his pain too.

.. and on a side note.. when you get a shot of the breasts and see that they're an older woman's breasts and not some teeny bopper.. it hits home that even older men do this and it's not quite as creepy or weird that he's checking them out, because in this case, she was much older than me, maybe. This makes you think more at that moment.. "well. GOOD FOR YOU!"

A couple things I didn't get though..

• Why could he understand the Irish/ Scottish women? They're still women, even if from near his island.

• What the hell were they doing in the coffee shop in the first place if they didn't have time to order anything or to talk to anyone.

**** But if you let those little things aside and just enjoy it.. The lead character has enough life and humanity in him to make it definitely worth watching on his journey.

I saw 'Foreign English' at the 2008 Zero Film Festival in LA, where I also met the writer/director Armand Diab. I liked it very much - the lead actor was very good, and particularly funny in the job interview scene. It's generally about barriers to communication - be they age-related, generational, accents, or simply the fundamental differences between men and women.

The accent issue is highlighted in the final scene where a couple of young women (I believe they were Scottish? Or Irish?) say something to a group of boys as they leave a diner after being hit on, and I couldn't understand a word they said! It didn't matter (perhaps it was even intentional) because it drove the point home all the more. A good short.

Outstanding plot! I loved how the old man couldn't comprehend when women talked to him, yet in the end of the movie he just "switched back on" :)). The funny ending not only made me smile but also surprised me with its unexpected twist. Sauers is basically the best actor in the whole picture, while the other actors still need more schooling before they become professional. I think that Phelps is a real discovery. She is charming, talented and possesses great potential. The movie is shot in a very interesting way, with camera switching from several different angles, thus giving the movie that needed subtlety that makes short movies so special. The classical music (I believe Vivaldi sounds at several moments) further refines the whole notion of the picture. As a whole I'd recommend Foreign English as an excellent example of a short movie. Lovely Scottish lassies at the end of the picture!!! ;))