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How entertaining? ★★★★☆
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆ 29 August 2011
This article is a review of WEST IS WEST. |
"He's your brother; you should show respect to him," George
Just before this film started, I thought about its prequel EAST IS EAST – how it nailed many issues in a funny and moving way. EAST IS EAST dealt with inter-family strife, both first and second generation immigrant culture clash, class, and following the hearts’ desires. They’ve all been done before, but what made it stand out was the combination of the above, together with an analysis of a certain type of patriarch; a patriarch whose culture suggest he should be the breadwinner, obeyed and respected – and what happens when he isn’t respected and his own pride, hypocrisy and lack of self-worth impact on his family. Om Puri’s George Khan learnt some hard lessons, and by the end the family appeared to be on a happier track. And thus, before the credits rolled I was wondering what the point of a sequel was...
Just before this film started, I thought about its prequel EAST IS EAST – how it nailed many issues in a funny and moving way. EAST IS EAST dealt with inter-family strife, both first and second generation immigrant culture clash, class, and following the hearts’ desires. They’ve all been done before, but what made it stand out was the combination of the above, together with an analysis of a certain type of patriarch; a patriarch whose culture suggest he should be the breadwinner, obeyed and respected – and what happens when he isn’t respected and his own pride, hypocrisy and lack of self-worth impact on his family. Om Puri’s George Khan learnt some hard lessons, and by the end the family appeared to be on a happier track. And thus, before the credits rolled I was wondering what the point of a sequel was...
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I am very pleasantly surprised that unlike so many sequels, especially ones with a long gap after their predecessors, this did not shame the original, and instead built on its themes. WEST IS WEST is a different beast as well a great companion to EAST IS EAST. Firstly, it wisely continues to build on George’s rehabilitation – he has caused a lot of heartache, and having a truncated life lesson climax appears less satisfying after seeing this – people hardly ever change on a dime, mistakes are often repeated until they are drummed in. Also, here is that rare movie, a reverse immigrant tale, where those settled in a different place go to visit their roots. Jumping from a grimly painted Salford, England in 1976 to a tourism board style Pakistan, the look and feel of the sequel is different. Also, the focus has shifted. While EAST IS EAST was an ensemble, WEST IS WEST has a large cast but juggles them more in favour of George and his relationship with his youngest son Aqib (Sajid Khan).
Aqib is a bit of a tear-away, understandably so, as he is being bullied at school and he doesn’t look-up to his father. So George decides to take him to India, with the dual purpose of putting him on the right track, and helping his other son already out there, Maneer (Emil Marwa), find a wife. The acting is a joy to watch. Puri brings complexity and humanity to George, the rest of the cast is spot-on in terms of comic timing and hitting those emotive touches, and Sajid Khan is a total discovery, as the prickly, cynical and mouthy youngest.
WEST IS WEST is again about holding the mirror up to one’s self, and attempting to not shy away from the tougher revelations; and the film goes beyond the fish-out-water scenario to be an amalgam of redemption drama, coming-of-age tale, and family comedy. I like this a lot.
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