Director: Damien O’Donnell
Writer: Ayub Khan-Din (Screenplay)
Starring: Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Jordan Routledge, Archie Panjabi, Emil Marwa, Chris Bisson, Jimi Mistry
Plot: In early 1970s England, a Pakistani father finds the authority he has previously maintained challenged by his increasingly Anglicized children.
Tagline – A comedy of families, a chip shop… and a very randy dog.
Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: East is East starts in 1970s England where a Pakistani father George (Puri) married an English woman Ella (Bassett), with the couple having seven children Sajid (Routledge), Meenah (Panjabi), Maneer (Marwa), Saleem (Bisson), Tariq (Mistry), Nazir (Aspinall) and Abdul (James), living in in a Terrence house in the North of England.
As the children start coming of age, George looks to return to the traditional ways his family expects, which will see him starting to push his family away, as they have become embraced in the British culture, wanting to think for themselves instead of dealing with certain dress codes, or marriage beliefs.
Thoughts on East is East
Thoughts – East is East is a close up looks at a Pakistan father and English mother raising their kids in the 1970s, where the father is getting caught up in the previous world that he would have been expected to live in himself, with the modern changing world his kids have grown up in, wanting to become more independent. This is such an interesting, funny, charming movie that will show the conflict, while also using the characters themselves to poke fun at the ways they see as outdated. Each of the children will have their own line they follow to make them unique to the family, with what they could offer to the world. The performances in this film are amazing, with Om Puri and Linda Bassett in the parental roles shining through their conflicts. The actors playing the children will also shine, with each getting their moment to make a big impact in what is going on. This film will give you so many laughs, it is refreshing to see a comedy hit so often.
Final Thoughts – East is East is a joy to watch, with laughs balanced perfectly with the serious side of the story.
