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EAST IS EAST Send This Review to a Friend
Thanks to excellent performances, writing and directing, "East Is East," set in 1971 Manchester, is a delightfully refreshing and entertaining drama that opens a window on a clash of cultures in England. We can laugh one minute, be outraged another, and ultimately be moved. The intense family story so chock full of life has been scripted by Ayub Khan-Din based on his play that was performed in London and New York.
At the center is George Khan, played by the outstanding actor Om Puri, who earns a measure of sympathy even while portraying him as an ogre who attempts to rule his family with unswerving authority as a Pakistani husband and father who married a British woman, with whom he runs a fish and chips shop. He is rigid about wanting his sons and daughter to live by Pakistani traditions, which puts him on a collision course with their desires to assimilate into British life. It is a battle he can't win, and his temper is dangerous. Puri's acting skill makes the character two-dimensional even though in plot terms he is essentially the villain lined up against the rest of the family. It is important to note that the drama is set against the background of prejudice against immigrants from Pakistan and the India-Pakistan conflict.
Linda Bassett makes us root for Ella, the wife and mother, who understands the needs of their children while having respect for her husband's traditions. Their long inter-cultural relationship is a foundation not easily shattered. This is director Damien O'Donnell's first feature, and it's a most auspicious debut. He shows a sharp eye for detail in depicting the characters in their environment.
Each member of the family is put into dramatic, and often comedic, focus. George is deeply embarrassed when his son Nazir walks out on an arranged marriage in mid-ceremony. Included in the large family is another son trying to be an artist. Tariq, one son in line for marriage, would much rather play the field. A sister resists pressures to wear a sari. Sajid, a rebellious 12-year-old, walks around in a weather-beaten parka that covers his head so that you can barely see his face. As you see, George is up against it, which doesn't stop him from trying to arrange a double marriage that results in one of the film's funniest scenes when a family shows up with its two homely prospective brides. All of the supporting cast members are impressive.
"East Is East," clearly a film that's different, stands to give you a most enjoyable and illuminating time, as well as leave you with provocative thoughts about the problems people from different cultures encounter living together and making adjustments. It is an exceptionally fine work that should have universal appeal. A Miramax release.
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