Director: Mira NairGenre: Drama
Kal Penn plays Gogol Ganguli. The movie starts with Gogol's parents, showing how they met and how they got together. It covers almost 3 decades of their lives. Gogol struggles with his parent's traditions and lifestyle in the midst of American culture. It's a movie about a struggle to be who you are, to accept where you came from, or to forge your own way and break away from your past. I read a review from Entertainment Weekly that said "it's a movie that will speak to anyone who has ever felt pulled in different directions by his own heart." This definitely covers the way I felt at the end.
The movie is beautiful, the color, the atmosphere, the portrayal of both America and India. I was excited about seeing this movie because I loved Vanity Fair as a film (although I hated the story), and Mira Nair directed that as well. Kal Penn was wonderful in this movie. He has been in Van Wilder, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, 24 and now The Namesake. I love how he can cover various genres and excel at each one. Few people can find a way to genuinely do that and not come off forced. Evidently the people who play the mother and father in the movie, Tabu and Irfan Khan, are both famous in the Bollywood movie scene. Their performances were fantastic as well.
I would definitely recommend this movie. It seems to be a little long towards the end, but it's worth every minute. If you check it out, let me know what you think.
