Frankly, the American Raymond is so run-of-the-mill, it hardly seems worth adapting. Consisting of a mopey loser, his goonie brother, impatient wife, and grouchy parents, it was hardly staggering in its originality. In a way, Rosenthal might agree. Over and over, he stresses the show’s universality as the key to its success. However, the Russians do not seem to get it.
The network argues the Russian people will never accept such meek, hen-pecked protagonist as Raymond, redubbed Kostya. The glamorous costume coordinator is particularly resistant to Rosenthal’s demands for a realistic wardrobe for his wife. Casting is also a nightmare, exacerbated by network interference. Like Napoleon, it appears Rosenthal will be forced to retreat from Moscow in ignoble defeat.
Exporting would be a good value-added DVD extra, but as a stand-alone documentary, it is a bit thin. Easily the most interesting figure in the film is the ambiguously connected bodyguard, who eventually gets bored with Rosenthal’s schtick (we suspect). While he has a few funny moments, Rosenthal is hardly a fount of charisma. Most of the time, he is really just a pill. He certainly shows no interest in Russian culture or history. As a result, his documentary sojourn will hold little interest for Russophiles.
