Five years after self-absorbed Xavier's close encounter of the European kind in "The Spanish Apartment," he finally has that job as a writer, has hooked up with his old friends and has bedded half the E.U. But he's still self-destructive and unhappy.

	Jerome Plon Romain Duris returns as Xavier in Cedric Kaplish's "Russian Dolls." Click photo for larger image. 'Russian Dolls' Rating: Not rated, contains nudity and adult situations. Starring: Romain Duris. Director: Cedric Kaplisch. Web site: www.russiandollsthemovie.com/

Director Cedric Kaplisch is on record saying that he wouldn't reunite the circle of young, sexy international friends in a sequel. It's one promise he should have kept.

Yes, there is character continuity in his new "Russian Dolls." Half a decade later, the same group of great looking, sexually overactive friends (played by the same actors) are older, and most have finally caved in and accepted some adult responsibilities. And yes, there's a sense of fun and excitement associated with young, successful, cosmopolitan Europeans testing the free and open borders now reaching from London to St. Petersburg.

But it's kind of like going to your five-year high school reunion -- no one has had enough new experiences to make them any more interesting than they were before.

That goes especially for the central character, Xavier. What a jerk. An admitted egotist, he hops from bed to bed and bemoans the absence of a meaningful relationship, writing in his personal diary that seeking the "right" relationship is like those Russian nesting dolls -- you keep opening up the next one without knowing which will be the last. Xavier's beautiful, wonderful ex-girlfriend wants him back, but he's been there, done that. His beautiful, wonderful publishing friend wants him, warts and all, but Xavier slips out for an unsatisfying romp with a beautiful, wonderful celebrity model, who wants him until somebody better comes along. Kaplisch wants us to feel sad for Xavier when he's left with no one to love him. Boo hoo.

The problem with "Russian Dolls" isn't the acting or the light and fluffy filming style. Kaplisch shows Xavier writing shallow, unbelievable characters in cliched scenes. Apparently, the director doesn't realize that his own characters are shallow, unbelievable and cliched. Here's hoping that if Kaplisch ever makes "Boring European Friends 3," he and his central character will both be better writers.