Deepa Mehta takes a break from her much more serious Earth, Fire, Water trilogy to present a very light bit of Indo-Canadian fun filmed in Toronto.
Boy has to find a date to fill a family obligation, boy/girl fall in love-forget obligation, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again. Of course.
Even so, the female roles are quite strong and cultural norms (the little I understand them) are pushed and, in some cases, shattered. That doesn't change from Mehta's other films that I've seen. Consequences in this go around, however, are much more fun. Family remains central.
Did I appreciate it? Very much.
Do I know Indian culture? Very little.
It holds up very well to other light, large-family-oriented (aunts, uncles, 3rd cousins, grandparents, etc.) comedies. A terrific break from fare that makes one think a great deal.
Also recommend Monsoon Wedding if you liked this one.
I do wonder, though, if there are comedies from Indian culture that present other than rich folk. In spite of one character identifying himself as "middle class", I have to say that in my experience "middle class" doesn't mean chauffeured limo.
Boy has to find a date to fill a family obligation, boy/girl fall in love-forget obligation, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again. Of course.
Even so, the female roles are quite strong and cultural norms (the little I understand them) are pushed and, in some cases, shattered. That doesn't change from Mehta's other films that I've seen. Consequences in this go around, however, are much more fun. Family remains central.
Did I appreciate it? Very much.
Do I know Indian culture? Very little.
It holds up very well to other light, large-family-oriented (aunts, uncles, 3rd cousins, grandparents, etc.) comedies. A terrific break from fare that makes one think a great deal.
Also recommend Monsoon Wedding if you liked this one.
I do wonder, though, if there are comedies from Indian culture that present other than rich folk. In spite of one character identifying himself as "middle class", I have to say that in my experience "middle class" doesn't mean chauffeured limo.