The Namesake
Directed by:
Mira NairScreenplay:
Sooni TaraporevalaCinematography:
Frederick ElmesComposer:
Nitin SawhneyCast:
Irrfan Khan, Kal Penn, Tabu, Glenne Headly, Jacinda Barrett, Brooke Smith, Gretchen Egolf, Jessica Blank, Sebastian Roché, Zuleikha Robinson, Heather MacRae (more)Plots(1)
When the Ganguli family moves from Calcutta to New York, they embark upon a lifelong balancing act to meld into a new world without forgetting the old. Though parents Ashoke and Ashima long for the family and culture that enveloped them in India, they take great pride in the opportunities their sacrifices have afforded their children. Paradoxically, their son Gogol is torn between finding his own unique identity without losing his heritage. Even Gogol's name represents the family's journey into the unknown. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (1)
Director Mira Nair draws on her ability to stand somewhere between Indian culture represented by Bollywood and traditional filmmaking represented by Hollywood in her work. She is able to effectively combine both styles and sell exoticism cultivated by Western moderation and reality. I know her film Monsoon Wedding, which I liked a little more precisely because of its exotic frame of a traditional Indian wedding, but The Namesake is also a solid film that somewhat suffers from the effort to map the lives of two generations. Two hours is a little too short for that, so the film sometimes feels rushed and the characters a bit like figurines. In addition, it lacks a stronger plot line, and the psychological conflicts are diluted over time and by the director's reluctance to engage in a greater emotional clash. Overall impression: 60%.
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