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Production Year: 1999 - Drama - Director: Damien O'Donnell - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over more

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Set in the early 1970s, EAST IS EAST, directed by Damien O'Donnell, follows the lives of a Pakistani-English family living in Northern England. George Khan (Om Puri), a proud...
more...Pakistani immigrant, and his British wife, Ella (Linda Bassett), run a fish and chip shop, while raising their seven children. George is determined to honor Pakistani tradition by arranging marriages for each of the children, whether they like it or not. When the Khan kids, including the nightclubbing Tariq (Jimi Mistry), the artsy Saleem (Chris Bisson), and the shy, parka-wearing Sajid (Jordan Routledge), begin to rebel against their forceful father, their mother also joins the household mutiny. During an awkward nuptial arrangement meeting with the snobby Shahs and their two unappealing daughters, the family's conflict hits its peak with surprising results.
With his first feature film, O'Donnell convincingly recreates the 1970s setting and carefully avoids glossing over the Khan family's difficulties. Puri and Bassett are excellent as the well-meaning parents, while Routledge is particularly charming as the reclusive youngest son. A quirky comedy that doesn't shy away from tense drama, EAST IS EAST is a truly unique film.

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A review by Antony_Murray on East Is East DVD
July 31st, 2000

Author's product rating: East Is East DVD - rated by Antony_Murray

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Weak
How does it compare to similar films?	Satisfactory

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yes

Full review

Life in Salford back in 1971 was never easy, and it certainly isn't easy for George Khan the local fish and chip shop owner. He's been in England since the 1950's and is married to a Ella, English woman but he has tried to bring his family up to be respectful of their Pakistani background. The film deals with how the father of the family desperately wants his children to be brought up as Pakistani's even though they consider themselves English. The fact is brought home when his eldest son rejects the marriage that has been arranged for him at the last moment.

It is a very enjoyable film, I don't know how often you would want to go back and watch it again, but it certain is an enlightening film, which does gentle touch on the themes racism in the north of England in the early 1970s.