Tickle-Tackle all gone?

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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Tickle-Tackle all gone?

A review by midpikyrozziy on East Is East DVD
April 27th, 2008

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

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

Advantages:	Quite funny, with ethical meaning behind it
Disadvantages:	Nothing spectacular

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

East is East is a nice addition to the increasingly common movie theme of arranged marriages. It focuses on the difficulties that Muslim families had in England in a time of disapproval in multi-cultured societies.

Set in Salford in the 1970's, East is East tells the story of George Khan (Om Puri) a Pakistani immigrant, his wife Ella (Linda Bassett) and their 7 children - Sajid, Meenah, Maneer, Saleem, Tariq, Abdul and Nazir.

George is keen for his children to be brought up in a proper, respectable Pakistani way, despite living in westernized England. The problem is, the children feel very English.

When Nazir runs away from his arranged marriage, George is so angry that he disowns him, and pronounces him dead whenever he is mentioned. He feels angered and upset that his children don't live as good Muslims.

Later on, the family have moved on. Tariq has a happy relationship with his English girlfriend behind George's back, Saleem is studying happily at Art College, and Sajid hasn't even been circumcised yet! They all eat whatever meat they want behind their dad's back, and generally disregard most of Muslim teaching.

So how will they feel when George tries to marry off to two Pakistani girls they haven't met, who can only be described as 'monstrosities'?

East is East a brilliantly acted, and splendidly written real-life drama, and these situations can be related to in real life. It immediately raises several ethical and religious questions about arranged marriages, of which everyone will have a different opinion.

But don't think this film is boring, or too serious. It throws in loads of little bits of humor, which help the film to move along quickly and enjoyably.

Om Puri is brilliant as always as George, the man who may look sadistic and evil at times, but is just after the best for his children. Linda Bassett acts well too, and another good performance to look out for comes from Lesley Nicol, who plays Ella's friend Annie.

For a night in, East is East is a good film, but you shouldn't go out of your way to watch it. If you get the opportunity to, then it's a good watch.