East Is East Review
by Frankie Paiva (SwpStke AT aol DOT com)June 16th, 2000
East Is East
rated R
96 minutes
Miramax Films
starring Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Jimi Mistry, Raji James, and Jordan Routledge written by Ayub Khan-Din from his play
directed by Damien O'Donnell
A Review by Frankie Paiva
Culture clash, you aren't human if you haven't experienced it. For members of the Khan family it's the regular routine. Dad George, (Puri) believes that even though his children are of mixed Pakistani and English descent, that they will follow every rule and traditional custom as if they were living in Pakistan. This is very hard to enforce, because it's the early 1970s, his family lives in a Manchester suburb, and six of his seven children want little to do with him or Pakistan. Maneer Khan is the son George wishes the other five boys were. A traditional Muslim, he sees his fathers ways as a sanctuary from pop culture. While not as religious as Maneer, Abdul Khan is another good son. He's very prim, always showing up in a suit, and says very little. Saleem Khan is an aspiring sculptor who tricks his dad into thinking he's going to college to become an engineer. Tariq Kahn is the rebellious badboy who is dating the dimwitted girl next door and frequently attends the forbidden discos. Sajid Khan is the youngest Khan who just got circumcised, and always wears a parka no matter what the weather is like. Meenah Khan, the only girl in the family, and she loves to play soccer on the streets. Finally, their mother Ella Khan (Bassett) loves her husband, but also wants the children to have lives of their own. There is actually one more Khan named Nazir. George arranged a traditional Pakistani marriage for the boy (where both the bride and the groom have not met until the ceremony takes place) who runs from the altar and disgraces the family. George forces the family to refer to Nazir as "dead."
This unique bunch could produce a bounty of humor, and at times it does. A lot of this movie is very, very funny. However, it is also very, very sad. George is so set in Pakistani ways that he frequently beats his wife and children when they disobey him or Pakistan. He spouts off insults, calling them illegitimate children, female dogs, etc. In today's times he would get sent to jail instantly. Georges actions detract from the film because editing is not this movie's greatest marvel. A scene of George continuously beating his wife is put in between two funny scenes involving the sexual preference of Nazir. One thing I absolutely will not forget about this movie though, are the two brides George tries to set Abdul and Tariq up with late in the film. There is no real way to describe them, they have no actual lines, but they alone are worth the price of admission. Performances are very good in this movie. Om Puri and Linda Bassett are effective in both the dramatic and comedic sequences. All the Khan children are excellent as well. Bit players also make up a large part of the movie. A young woman in love with Saleem, an anxious dalmation, and a little boy who is Sajids friend are all memorable. If you listen very closely to the last few lines of the movie, I bet you'll be rolling in the aisles. While the film tries to leave you with a humorous intention, that still doesn't overshadow the domestic abuse subplot. The movie got too disjointed between the two for my tastes, and I left the theater thinking the movie was just OK. My opinion later changed to a slightly more positive one, but it's still only enough to mildly recommend this movie. So is this, "A comedy with attitude from a house with no latitude?" The film's tagline promises us that, but it's far from the truth. Despite great performances from a relatively unknown cast, and some very funny material, East Is East is much better off as the comedy the posters promote, not the drama that lies beneath.
C+
Frankie Paiva
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http://www.homestead.com/cinemaparadise/mainpage.html
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