Brick Lane (2007)

Average rating

(62%)

Starring:	Tannishta Chatterjee \| Christopher Virdi \| Satish Kaushik \| Tannishta Chatterjee \| Satish Kaushik \| Christopher Simpson
Director:	Sarah Gavron
Studio:	OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time:	101 mins
Collections:	100 Hot Hits
Genres:	Drama
Languages:	English, English Audio Description
Released:	March 10, 2008
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At 17, Nazneen (Chatterjee) enters an arranged marriage with Chanu (Kaushik). Years later, living in Brick Lane with her family, she meets young man Karim (Simpson).

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Highest rated reviews

27 out of 27 people found the following review helpful:

A decent British film.

4Tell from , 2nd January, 2008

A teenage Bangladeshi girl has to enter an arranged marriage with a man she has never me, who lives in England, a country she has never seen. Fast forward to some nearly 20 years or so later and, although she now has two teenage girls, she has really led a very sheltered life. However, a turn of events mean she decides to start earning some money, becomes involved with a much younger man, sees how many of her fellow Muslims react after the 9/11 atrocity and, as she becomes more independent herself, realises what true love can be. The fact that this film works pretty well, without seeming too trite or sickly sweet is down to a good director and an excellent performance by the cast. I say, support the British film industry when it makes something worthwhile and this film is certainly worth supporting. Note - I have not read the Monica Ali book upon which this film is based, so I cannot say whether those that have will be disappointed by what will certainly be a simplification of the book.

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15 out of 15 people found the following review helpful:

A good old fashioned story in modern Britain

A Customer from Exeter, 17th March, 2008

Having read the book, I also really enjoyed this film. As with most adaptations, the films rarely live up to the intensity of the novel but this is a fair attempt. Beautifully shot in Bangladesh & London, the characaters crackle with warmth. The plot if you don't know it follows a young Indian woman as she gets packed off in an arranged marriage to a council flat in East London. What follows is the story of her struggling to adjust to a life of loneliness and alienation in a strange Western world and in a marriage seemingly devoid of love. The film focuses on the main character's encounter with a young Asian Londoner, Karim, and the viewer sees the effect this has on her as well as following him growing up in a London city reacting to 9/11 and in a wave of anti-Islam. The book in comparison explores more of the lead character's inner struggle and key moments like her secretly trying on some westen women's clothes are slightly brushed over in the film in favour of the potential romance. This is no action or blockbuster film - but a simple, well made and acted drama in which you will find the characters evolving - even her seemingly ignorant and cold husband eventually thaws and displays depth and warmth - and will leave you, like a reader of the novel, thinking about life in Britain today from an immigrant's point of view. If you like a good old fashioned story, I would recommend it. And the book is great too!!

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