Viewed in
2008
Premise
Based on the novel, the film chronicles the lives of an Indian-American family in the 1980's to 2000's.
Who should watch
Those who like ensemble acting and stories about immigration to the United States.
Thoughts
I liked it much more than I had expected.
Even though I am not of Indian decent (that I know of), I was still able to relate to these characters and the conflicts in immigrant families with American-born children. I especially liked that the film makers showed the parents' experience as much as the children's with equal affection. Personally, I think many American viewers (not just Asian Americans) can relate.
While I was glad to see that Kal Penn was capable of doing drama, I was equally glad to experience some fine acting from unknown (to me) Indian actors, Irfan Khan and Tabu.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the scenes at the Taj Mahal. I have never been there in person, and watching it in high definition gave me a mini-adventure without moving an inch.
It's not really a complaint, but the story did not have a typical movie beginning, middle and end. Basically, it had an episodic feel throughout most of the film. Normally, I am open to any kind of story-telling, but I was expecting something more conventional, which was the marketing's fault (see last paragraph).
I recommend this for the well-explored immigrant-American themes and acting. This small, fine film deserved some recognition.
What I would change
The marketing. Once again, the studios pooched another good film by misleading the public. The trailers only focused on Kal Penn (because he was a bankable star), and how he got his name. I was uninterested such a movie. I was glad my friend got my attention when he put it in his top ten of 2006.
