Customer Reviews

East Is East

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I admit, I cried during this movie. It was difficult to watch the entire Khan family, all seven kids plus mom Ella and dad George, struggle with an identity that not only identified them as individuals, but as a family. It hits a chord not only with immigrant families, but all families. It relates the struggles of finding a balance between parental power and individual control. But despite all that mushy stuff, it's absolutely hilarious. Not only are the accents adorably amusing, the children remind you of what it was like to be young again and caught by your parents doing something you shouldn't have been. The opening scene lends to this as it follows the kids running through alleys so their father, a strict Muslim, doesn't see them marching in a Catholic parade. You can't help but laugh at their antics. The film is able to embrace both tradition and progress without becoming too boring. Definitely an A+!

What begins as a lighthearted and whimsical examination of the cultural differences between East and West escalates into a very serious and often dark study of the negative ramifications those irreconcilable differences can cause when strictly observed by those who lose track of the impact on those they love.

Om Puri is magnificent as Muslim George Khan, the traditional father of a very untraditional group of seven children, the offspring of his marriage with British wife Ella, played by Linda Bassett. Born and raised in England, his six sons and one daughter have grown to enjoy the high degree of cultural freedom not present in Pakistan. When George senses that he is losing the control of his family that he once enjoyed, he becomes an intransigent martinet and inadvertently manages to alienate them all.

Built on the foundation of quaint humor, the dramatic frissons, when they come, are stunning. And there's never a false note, as confident newcomer Damien O'Donnell directs Ayub Khan-Din's story with aplomb, a story which is partially autobiographical and based on Khan-Din's own play of the same name.

I know people who were very offended by this film's portrayal of Pakistanis and I can say from my own experience that not all mixed families have the same problems as the Khans, but I still think that East is East is an excellent movie. The story is about George Khan, a Pakistani in England who married an English woman and begins to fear that his seven children are becoming too Westernized as they grow up. Anyone who comes from a multicultural family will be able to relate to the struggles of the Khan children to reconcile their father's wishes with their lives in 1971 Manchester. The movie isn't really for children and has a brutal and violent climax, but it teaches an important lesson about being at peace with one's decisions and growing up between cultures. On top of everything,the movie has a great soundtrack, with both English and Pakistani songs from the period and touches on significant historical events such as the rise of immigrant-basher Enoch Powell and the Bangladeshi war that may not be familiar to American audiences. All in all, it's an edgy, funny movie that will leave you crying with laughter and wishing it was an hour longer. If you were a fan of Zadie Smith's novel "White Teeth", you will probably like this.

Not out until September here in the US, 'East is East' is a hilarious British film. Having seen it in UK cinema last year, let me humbly suggest it's a 'must see' for everyone who just enjoys pure fun from an evening's viewing.

The film centres on an British-Asian family who live in present day Bradford (near Manchester), and relates the hilarious antics of the sons of the family as they attempt to avoid their traditional 'arranged weddings' with the daughters of other asian families.

What's so great about the film is that you don't need to be Asian (or British!) to really enjoy the film. Some of you may have seen the top rated BBC Asian TV comedy show 'Goodness Gracious Me!' - this film is in exactly the same style.

'East is East' flew high in the UK Cinema charts last year - it may not be a huge seller here in the US, but those of you who see it won't be disappointed.

If you happen to catch the trailer on another Miramax release, you might order the movie on the off chance that it'll turn out to be a quirky enjoyable comedy - I did, and it is. However, the movie is MUCH more than what is portrayed in the trailer, and in my opinion deserves better exposure than it got. It is a true comedy, but it tackles the very serious issues faced by multi-cultural and immigrant families, accurately portraying the conflicts between family, tradition, and society at large. A movie that can be appreciated by anyone, it is certain to strike a special chord in the hearts of those whose traditions and values differ from those of the country they have chosen to call home.

Much of the publicity surrounding this film rested on its comedy elements. And yet this is only half the story. The humour is terrific - ranging from coarse humour and cheap laughs to subtle jokes about dialect and the period on which the film is set. But the rest of the film is a mature, post-colonial take on the topics of immigration, integration, and miscgenation.

The humour in this film is great. The lovely Archie Punjabi and the boys supply most of this, while their parents deal in more serious matters. Om Puri convinces despite being a bit of a stereotyped Pakistani Dad, and the whole film glides along at a cracking pace, thanks to the humour. Despite dealing with serious subjects such as spousal abuse and cultural identity, the humour prevents any dragging.

Mr Khan has lived in England for 25 years, and this is significant because 1946 is the year before Indian independence, and a time when many Indians and Pakistanis came to Britain. The second great influx of Asians came in the late 1960s with the independence of Uganda and Kenya and their respective new governments repatriating the Asian communities. These latter immigrants would have formed the lion's share of the Asian Communities in Salford and Bradford, and for this reason Mr Khan is out of place with the recent immigrants (all of whom have more knowledge of Pakistan - formed after his departure from India - than he) just as he has not entirely settled in England (he still only speaks pidgin English, despite being there 25 years). Despite being entrenched in his ways and violent to his family, you can't help but have sympathy for this fish out of water and hope that he comes to terms with life in Britain soon.

I recommend this to anyone interested in the Anglo-Asian Community, but also to anyone who likes a good laugh.

This 1999 British film is about the culture clash within a multicultural family living in Manchester, England, in 1971. The father, played by Om Puri, is Pakistani; the mother, played by Linda Basset, is English. They have seven children between the ages of 13 and 24 and run a fish and chips shop in a working class neighborhood. With a mixture of comedy and pathos, we feel the father's frustration as he tries to instill traditional Pakistani values into his family. Naturally they rebel as they are being raised in England and don't even speak their father's language. Each of the children copes in his or her own way, and there are some moments of hilarious comedy as the father tries to arrange marriages for his sons. But behind the humor, there's sadness, and I especially felt sorry for the 13 year-old boy who is forced to be circumcised. Mostly, the children want to be English and when the father becomes abusive to the mother, even the son who opted to be Muslim rebels against the father.

Acting is wonderful. Om Puri makes the audience both laugh at him and understand his grief. And the rest of the casting feels genuine. I was troubled about a few things though. One was the simple fact that there was no indoor plumbing and there are a lot of scenes including urinating in chamber pots. Another was that the joke is always on the Pakistanis; the father looks like a fool over and over again. We laugh at him and are angry at him and even understand him a little bit. But he doesn't get any sympathy and we learn nothing positive about the Pakistani culture. If I were Pakistani, I'd be angry. I did enjoy the story and the acting. But it's a bit too painful to be a comedy. And it just doesn't work as a drama. I therefore can only give it a lukewarm recommendation.

Inspired performances highlight this "culture-clash" comedy-drama that vascillates (a bit uncomfortably at times) between "Nil By Mouth" and "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". First time director Damien O'Donnell appears to have gone to the Mike Leigh school, displaying a similar gift for very believable and affecting character development. Om Puri (largely unknown to Western audiences but a highly respected international actor) is superb as the harried patriarch of a Pakistani-English family in 1971 Manchester. Linda Bassett also shines as his English wife. The youngest son steals every scene he's in- with his ubiquitous hooded parka and a penchant for consistently bad timing, he comes off like a real-life "Kenny" from "South Park". Be cautioned: while there are a lot of chuckles here, there are also realistic depictions of domestic violence that some might find unsettling; however it is important to the story's arc. A very rewarding film.

This is not a comedy though I will be the first one to admit there are some hilarious moments in this film that are side splittingly funny. Set in 1971 in the bleak city of Manchester, this is the story of a biracial family striving to come to terms with their cultural identities. George Khan (Om Puri) believes he is bringing up his seven children to be good Pakistanis but there is rebellion in the ranks, because George's wife Ella (Linda Bassett) is English and her children are as much her offspring as they are their father's despite his attempts to forget this. This film is coarsely vulgar at times, with ribald jokes and innuendo galore but it is also heart warming and genuinely moving and the plot though loose in parts is pulled together by some slick acting and good directing. The storyline follows George and his family as they struggle to come to terms with conflicting interests, such as the headstrong Meenah (Archie Panjabi) whose idea of fun is playing football in the street and eating bacon sandwiches, to Sajid (Jordan Routledge) who hides behind the hood of his dirty waxed jacket, and has yet to be circumcised, much to the horror of his orthodox Muslim father. The film touches many subjects such as arranged marriages, what the right job is for a good Pakistani boy and how do you make East meet West with out a clash of the Titans. With rude words galore, garish colours and a rocking sound track "East is East" is a film that will have you laughing and crying in the same breath. I was raised in the North of England in the 1970s and remember only too well the outside toilets; the freezing cold bedrooms and the cultural divide between two worlds rolling toward a head-on collision. This is a crackingly good film (not for the faint hearted) with excellent acting from all quarters. Who can forget brassy Stella (Emma Rydal) with her eyes firmly on Tariq (Jimi Mistry) and her plump friend Peggy (Ruth Jones) who will do anything for a kiss and a bag of French fries? The DVD version of this film is excellent (with some good bonus material) but if you get the chance to see it on the big screen then do so, it's worth the few extra dollars just to see it larger than life.

It's a sad state of affairs when Hugh Grant is about the only thing North Americans associate with British cinema. For the most part English films never seem to surface over here which is a real shame because there are some great ones being made. Sure, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" was pretty big but for every "Lock, Stock" we also get three counterfeit British films like Notting Hill or Mickey Blue Eyes. There are a number of really excellent movies being made in the UK that unfortunately will never see the time of day; Final Cut with Jude Law, Heart, The Debt Collector etc...

"East is East" somehow made it across the pond and believe me when I say that it is one of the funniest movies I've seen in years. The story centers around the Khan family, and their growing up in 1970's Manchester. George, the Father is a traditional Pakistani who secretly arranges for two of his sons to be married. This causes a rift in the family that results in many hilarious antics and some surprisingly good dramatic scenes.

The film's big focus is of course weather or not the son's have the right to choose their own destiny. Having being born and raised in England they are for the most part oppposed to their Father's views.

"East is East" is a very effective comedy. The relationship between everyone in the family is perfect and makes for many laughs. Each of the character's are quick witted and clever which is a refreshing change from seeing something from the Adam Sandler school of comedy. Ultimately it is the relationship between all the characters that really makes this movie work well. There is a deep sense of family that is constantly tested by everyone baiting and antagonizing each other.

"East is East" is a great little British film that is so much more effective than the overated, crowd pleasing "Full Monty." If only North America got a great movie from England like this each week we'd be set. (The inclusion of Supergrass was also great.)