The Namesake
Mira Nair's warm and wonderful new film is base on based on Jhumpa Lahiri's popular novel of the same name. The story starts off in Calcutta with Ashoka Ganguli (Irfan Khan) riding on a train. He is reading a book by his favorite author, Nikolai Gogol. A short time later the train crashes. A few scenes later we see Ashoka and his family meeting the family of his future wife Ashima (Tabu). Both families are hoping this arranged match will work into a marriage. It does but Ashoka has been living in New York for the last few years (where he has been studying engineering) and that is where he takes his new bride.
It isn't easy for Ashima to adjust but in time she does. And when things get better for them financially they move to the suburbs where they live with near Bengali families. Ashoka and Ashima have two children, Gogol (played as an adult by Kal Penn) and Sonia (played as an adult by Suhira Nair). Both Gogol and Sonia rebel against what they consider their parents' old fashioned ways. In fact, Gogol decides to change his name back to his other name, which is Nick. And he has an American girlfriend named Maxine (Jacinda Barrett). Gogol would much rather spend time with Maxine's parents than his own. But something happens to make him see things differently. We find out more about why he is named Gogol. We also see what happens later on when he hooks up with a Bengali woman Moushumi (Zuleikha Robinson). Let's just say that cultural similarities are not always the key to a good relationship.
The Namesake is a very moving portrait of generational family conflict. Although I consider myself very modern I found many of the values that Ashoka and Ashima held dear to be similar to my own. In many ways this was a very spiritual film. The film is wonderful to look at and Nair feels very comfortable directing it (unlike Vanity Fair). Penn gives a solid performance as Gogol and proves that he is growing as an actor. And both Khan and Tabu are terrific as his parents.
The Namesake may be about a Bengali family but it is really about all of our families (make sure to catch Nair's dedication at the end of the film). We have all been in similar situations at some time in our life. The setting is just a bit different. So if you want a film that will leave you emotionally satisfied and with tears in your eyes then do yourself a favor and see The Namesake (and I must say that I now want to read the book and also some of the works by Gogol).
It isn't easy for Ashima to adjust but in time she does. And when things get better for them financially they move to the suburbs where they live with near Bengali families. Ashoka and Ashima have two children, Gogol (played as an adult by Kal Penn) and Sonia (played as an adult by Suhira Nair). Both Gogol and Sonia rebel against what they consider their parents' old fashioned ways. In fact, Gogol decides to change his name back to his other name, which is Nick. And he has an American girlfriend named Maxine (Jacinda Barrett). Gogol would much rather spend time with Maxine's parents than his own. But something happens to make him see things differently. We find out more about why he is named Gogol. We also see what happens later on when he hooks up with a Bengali woman Moushumi (Zuleikha Robinson). Let's just say that cultural similarities are not always the key to a good relationship.
The Namesake is a very moving portrait of generational family conflict. Although I consider myself very modern I found many of the values that Ashoka and Ashima held dear to be similar to my own. In many ways this was a very spiritual film. The film is wonderful to look at and Nair feels very comfortable directing it (unlike Vanity Fair). Penn gives a solid performance as Gogol and proves that he is growing as an actor. And both Khan and Tabu are terrific as his parents.
The Namesake may be about a Bengali family but it is really about all of our families (make sure to catch Nair's dedication at the end of the film). We have all been in similar situations at some time in our life. The setting is just a bit different. So if you want a film that will leave you emotionally satisfied and with tears in your eyes then do yourself a favor and see The Namesake (and I must say that I now want to read the book and also some of the works by Gogol).
posted by Film Fanatic | 4:58 PM
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