The Namesake
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Movie Reviews of The Namesake
Movie Review: Absolutely Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
Yet another five-star review for a Mira Nair film. It's apparently the only rating I'm able to give her.
This is based on a novel that I haven't read yet, although I'm a big fan of the author. The DVD blurb identifies it as an "epic family saga." Yep. It covers a longer time span than the other Mira Nair films I've seen. Brilliant characterizations of its people and its two settings, India and New York. Funny and touching; very perceptive of human nature; brilliantly written, acted and directed.
I'll be watching this one again, which is what's so good about owning DVDs. Once in a while you find one that you want to hang onto.
Movie Review: 'We all come out of Gogol's Overcoat'
Summary: 4 Stars
Jhumpa Lahiri's very popular novel THE NAMESAKE has been successfully adapted for the screen by Sooni Taraporevala and the gifted director Mira Nair has gathered a fine cast to capture the spirit of the original story of family commitment despite cultural changes and challenges. Some of the novel's impact is lost on the big screen, but the tender message remains at the end.
In India a gifted young singer Ashima (Tabu) follows her family's rules of matchmaking and marries the quiet Ashoke (Irfan Khan), and soon after the wedding festivities are over the couple depart to New York for Ashoke's career. The cultural and climate changes are a shock to both, but their marriage soon produces a boy child who, instead of being named traditionally by the grandmother in India, has to have a name assigned in the New York hospital in order to be released with a birth certificate. Out of desperation, Ashoke decides to temporarily name him Gogol (Ashoke's favorite author)-played as a child by Sohan Chatterjee - , and the family of three soon becomes a family of four with the arrival of their daughter Sonia (Sahira Nair). While the parents maintain the customs of their Bengali heritage, the two children struggle with adapting to their preferred life in America and the conflict between parent and child is magnified by the cultural disparities. As young Gogol grows toward manhood (now Kal Penn) he favors Western ways and becomes involved with a non-Indian girl Maxine (Jacinda Barrett) and her family. Gogol tires of the critical comments about his name and decides to change his name to the more traditional Nick- further evidence of his separation from his background. But family tragedies occur and Gogol finds himself drawn to his mother and to his roots. When Gogol's father dies, the significance of his family grows even stronger and being unable to identify with Maxine and her family, he instead agrees to 'date' a Bengali girl from his past - Moushumi (Zuleikha Robinson) has blossomed from the frumpy bookworm into a beautiful and experienced woman. They marry, keeping to Indian traditions, but the marriage is rocky and in the end Gogol discovers that his true happiness is in the rich family history and beauty of his native India.
There are moments of rare beauty, both cinematically (camera work is by Frederick Elmes) and emotionally (musical score is a lovely creation by Nitin Sawhney), and while the film is somewhat brittle at times due to the occasional bilingual nature of the script, the main characters are portrayed by such strong actors that the little flaws become unimportant. It is well to have so many films that deal with the immigrant experience at this particular juncture in our history, and when that theme is enhanced by the beauty of authors such as Lahiri, the messages become even more poignant. Grady Harp, September 08
Movie Review: The Namesake
Summary: 3 Stars
The Namesake is a moving film about many things. It includes aspects of relationships, love and loss, family, and traditions. But it is mostly about connecting with one's true self. Through great performances from its principals, this concept is beautifully conveyed.
The film opens in India as we are introduced to young Ashima and Ashoke who are about to be wed through an arranged marriage. Thus begins a relationship that will anchor and become one of the main themes of the movie. Soon after being wed, Ashoke who lives in America relocates Ashima there as well. Having spent time in America already, Ashoke is right at home in New York where they now live. Not so for Ashima. She is at first taken aback at being so far from her home, in a strange land and knowing no one. Her aloneness is strikingly played. Through the passage of time, and with help from her new, loving husband, she gradually begins to grow more comfortable here. Eventually, they start a family; having first a son named Gogol, and a daughter - Sonia. The naming of Gogol (he was named after Ashoke's favorite author Nikolai Gogol), becomes another central theme in the movie.
As time passes, and Gogol gets older, the focus shifts towards his life and relationships. He decides to study architecture, after a trip back to India with his parents after the death of Ashima's father. After graduation, he becomes romantic with Maxine, who is not at all the type of girl for a Bengali Indian, straining his relationship with his parents. Another central theme is the disregard of the children toward their parents' Indian customs and culture. After struggling with a tragic event, Gogol and Maxine eventually break up. Ashima suggests that he re-connect with childhood friend Moushumi, who is also Bengali, and they hit it off and eventually marry. Sadly, this relationship would end also after Moushumi has an affair with an old flame.
The relationship of Ashoke and Ashima is also changed through a tragic event and we get to see Ashima dealing with being alone again. Her portrayal is particularly impressive here. Meanwhile, Gogol is coming to grips with loss and delving into some very personal realms where he ends up finding himself.
This film is remarkably beautiful in its cinematography, with scenery and locations that are vivid and exotic. You can almost smell Calcutta in several scenes. The editing is sharp and seamless as twenty five years passes in only two hours without feeling rushed or strained. Director Mira Nair did an outstanding job leading the actors to deliver such emotional and drawing performances.
One other theme that is evident in the picture, although in a small way, is that of religion. In a few scenes, there are depictions of traditional Indian/Hindu wedding ceremonies. These are very colorful and joyous occasions. Very different from our Western practices, and I might add, a little more appropriate. There is also a customary Indian funeral ceremony where the mourners gather in the home and chant and pray, and another in India where the ashes are scattered in the Ganges River as is the custom of that religion.
The Namesake is a must-see if for no other reason, than we can all relate in some way to a character in this film, and learn to look inward at ourselves more deeply than before.
Movie Review: Good movie, but the book is so much better
Summary: 3 Stars
Based on Jhumpa Lahiri's acclaimed novel, "The Namesake" tells the story of a young engineer, Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan), and his new wife, Ashima (Tabu), who move from Calcutta to New York shortly after their marriage. Adjusting to life in a new country is difficult, especially for Ashima, but the Ganguli's children have an easier time blending in with American culture, because it's what they were born into. However, being an American-born child with Bengali parents is a difficulty in itself, and it's something that Ashoke and Ashima's son, Gogol (Kal Penn), has a very hard time dealing with. As Gogol grows into a young man, he distances himself from his family and embraces the American way of life. However, when tragedy strikes, Gogol realizes that his priorities are completely out of whack, and he attempts to make some changes in his life, but not everything goes according to plan.
This is a decent adaptation of a stunning book. The cast is fantastic, and I was especially impressed by Khan and Tabu's performances. I think that I expected more out of the film because I am such a huge fan of Lahiri's novel, so it was probably impossible for the film to measure up in my eyes. Lahiri's writing is just so incredibly descriptive and emotional, and it's impossible to transfer her beautiful words onto the screen, so the movie didn't really do it for me...the book is just so much richer and more powerful. I encourage everyone to read the book prior to watching the film adaptation.
Movie Review: The Namesake
Summary: 5 Stars
The Namesake is a vivid interpretation of a novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. It is a wonderful story which embodies love, betrayal, values, and much more. Having read the book, and watched the movie, I have fallen in love.
Gogol Ganguli has a funny name, a name that holds dear to his father, and a name of consequence that he does not understand. He belongs to a Hindu family living America, a family whose morals and values are still tied to India. From a young age Gogol was forced to maintain a balance between his American influences and Indian values. As he grew older, he became more distant from his Indian family, and closer to his girlfriend Max's family. His rejection of his heritage furthered when he chose to change his name from Gogol to Nikhil. However, all was going to change. Gogol's father, Ashoke, died of a sudden heart attack, leaving Gogol to realize that he needs to become closer to his family, and in order to do that, he needs to be closer to his culture. Before Ashoke's death, he told Gogol why he named him Gogol, because of life threatening accident he had, in his early years, while he was reading a book by Nikolai Gogol. Gogol understood, and was touched. Ashima, Ashoke's wife was faced with a life of singularity after his death, a life where she had to get a job, drive, and live alone, like any other single American. During this time, Gogol is swept away by Moushumi Mazoomdar, a Bengali girl who he knew from a very young age. He soon arranges to marry her. Their marriage is faced with the challenges of Moushumi's desire to study further, and her love affair with a French man. Gogol, heartbroken, grows further when he visits his mother's going away party to India. He stumbles upon a book, "The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol; a gift his father had given him, a gift he never opened, or cared about when he was alive. He is changed.
This story is a beautiful story of culture that was suppressed, and values that were forgotten. It has many vibrant scenes showing certain indian traditions and is a vivid portrayal of rituals. A story enhanced by the ethics that Ashima and Ashoke embodied and later passed to their children.