The Namesake - the movie!

tacita · Mar 21st, 2007, 03:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

Because you don't learn anything the second time you are kicked by a mule

SitaParityaga · Mar 21st, 2007, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by YogaGal

it opened yesterday in the Chicago area....an area of over 6,000,000 people, an area with the largest number of Indian residents in North America (or at least one of the areas)...AND IT'S ONLY IN TWO THEATERS!!
what's up with that?!?

YG....I am also SHOCKED

Here, in the East Bay for gawd's sake! In one theater, only! I had the great good fortune of having some excellent, fast moving companions who jumped out of the car and bought our tickets early! The place was packed! I just can't believe how little all those LA slick movie marketing folks don't get how much of an audience is waiting to see this!

Quote:

Originally Posted by docgirl2005

I saw the Namesake last night in Philadelphia. Beautiful movie, awesome, I felt like calling my parents afterwards! I heard that is what happens after watching it--all the people calling their parents. Lots of tears and laughter too. Breathtaking Kolkata scenery. New York winters reminded me of my childhood.
This story is about 2nd generation American desis and their immigrant parents! Irfan Khan deserves an Oscar nod for this one. His expressions are so subtle and priceless. Tabu is awesome too and watching them both together--sigh, neither said a word but the love and chemistry between Ashima and Ashok is displayed without awkwardness with ease...Kal Penn does a wonderful job too compared to his other comedy stoner movies we see him in.
I give this movie 4 stars! Some complained it was too cheesy and dramatic...nope I think it wasnt at all. Just watch it!

My sentiments exactly..

wonderwomanusa · Mar 21st, 2007, 10:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by bijapuri

Namesake starts 23 March here in Santa Cruz, California. Usually we get these a week or three behind major city markets. It's playing the arthouse circuit.

A friend who is totally uninterested in India saw the film a couple of weeks ago (she belongs to a film club that previews coming movies) and loved it.

capt_mahajan · Mar 21st, 2007, 10:49

Hmm, maybe I am writing off a good movie and need to reexamine.

and Tabu is a fantastic actress. (Really liked her in Maachis, but part of that was the director, Gulzar)

docgirl2005 · Mar 21st, 2007, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

Hmm, maybe I am writing off a good movie and need to reexamine.

and Tabu is a fantastic actress. (Really liked her in Maachis, but part of that was the director, Gulzar)

Yea, but did you actually see it yet before writing it off?

Give it a chance capt!

Tabu rocks in this movie, loved her in Maachis too..

capt_mahajan · Mar 21st, 2007, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by docgirl2005

Yea, but did you actually see it yet before writing it off?

Nah. It was more a pre-emptive strike.
Trouble is, a pre-emptive strike sometimes becomes a scorched-earth strike, and I miss a few good ones.

Periscope · Mar 27th, 2007, 12:36

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/namesake/

It's at 82% on RT. Really looking forward to this one; it's probably the next movie I will watch in the theaters.

Casey · Apr 2nd, 2007, 06:27

I enjoyed the movie, but found it faltered a bit when the son's story took over. The actor's who play the parent's were amazing, but I think the son's acting a bit weak compared the other performances. I had read, and thoroughly enjoyed the book, but it was so long ago I don't think in interfered with my enjoyment of the film. I think the themes are quite universal and can resonate with many people. The fact that parts are filmed in India made it more enjoyable for me.

TulsaisntFar · Apr 2nd, 2007, 06:50

I just saw it last night and i really enjoyed it. I'm not sure i would have enjoyed it as much if i wasnt so interested in india but it definitely is a tear jerker.

the opoponax · Apr 2nd, 2007, 08:25

I worked on The Namesake! it's actually part of what gave me the idea to visit India on my own (though i'd sort of already wanted to for a long time) -- it made me so jealous when so many of my friends on the crew got to go, and I didn't.

if anyone's curious, one of the many things I did on the film was getting like 20 identical copies of the book of Gogol's short stories you see throughout. they had to destroy it for the train scene, so they needed lots of copies in addition to the one that Gogol (the character) and his father handle in other scenes.

Periscope · Apr 2nd, 2007, 22:33

I liked it overall but it did drag a little after Ashok's death and the movie became a bit smug and self-satisfied towards the end. Still I agree with everyone that both Tabu and Khan were great particularly in their scenes with each other. Loved the Calcutta scenes too.

I haven't seen Kal Penn's other movies but I did read a profile which talked about how the Namesake was his big opportunity to break out from his stereotypical roles. I would say he has grabbed his opportunity: he gave a fine performance though I felt his section of the movie was not that well written.

Sama · Apr 2nd, 2007, 22:42

saw it over the weekend and loved it. I thought the characters, thankfully, were much more fleshed out than in the book. In the book, they seemed so "stiff" to me, almost two dimensional, altho I also liked the book.

nadreg · Apr 4th, 2007, 22:10

I saw the movie yesterday, and was blown away by Tabu and Irfan Khan's performances. I'd seen another movie with Irfan Khan, called The Warrior, a while back and really like him as an actor.

Kal Penn's performance definitely is not on the same level as Tabu and Irfan's. Plus, I couldn't help seeing him as Kumar from Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.

All in all a good movie, although my non-Indian fiancee didn't appreciate it as much as I did.

New-South-Welshman · Apr 16th, 2007, 10:22

I just watched this last night. I caught the last viewing at 9:30pm, and was the only person in the whole theatre, so that was one great thing. I missed the first 15 minutes, and just started watching it when Ashok sells his wife that her father has just died. I enjoyed the book much more, and to me the movie seemed to be very rushed. It's safe to say I was a bit disappointed, but it was still enjoyable.

kristinm · Apr 27th, 2007, 12:25

Saw it on Wednesday afternoon in Sydney too... we all loved it including our 12 year old son, I really like Mira Nair's movies. Isn't Tabu the most beautiful woman??? and I loved the slowly developing deep love between the parents. Yes it did cover a lot of ground - but then not a lot happens. We went to the Maya on Cleveland St afterwards for dinner so had a lovely Indian Anzac day! I have s soft spot for those silly movies like Wayne's World (guilty pleasures!) and was wanting to see Harold and Kumar - but have avoided it on the basis of not wanting to answer too many pot smoking questions from the son!

A quick question though - in the beginning, where he is in the train crash, is the woman beside him his wife, and the child his daughter? I assumed so, but then he didn't tell Gogol about them when he told him about the crash

Apr 2nd, 2007, 22:42	#42
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 5,545	saw it over the weekend and loved it. I thought the characters, thankfully, were much more fleshed out than in the book. In the book, they seemed so "stiff" to me, almost two dimensional, altho I also liked the book. __________________ *My India, 2005-2008* sama: Pali/Sanskrit: that state of consciousness which reflects neither attachment nor aversion

Apr 4th, 2007, 22:10	#43
nadreg Administrator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NY, USA Posts: 1,803	I saw the movie yesterday, and was blown away by Tabu and Irfan Khan's performances. I'd seen another movie with Irfan Khan, called The Warrior, a while back and really like him as an actor. Kal Penn's performance definitely is not on the same level as Tabu and Irfan's. Plus, I couldn't help seeing him as Kumar from Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. All in all a good movie, although my non-Indian fiancee didn't appreciate it as much as I did. __________________ In pursuit of the Only truth: I Am!

Apr 16th, 2007, 10:22	#44
New-South-Welshman Drunk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 1,406	I just watched this last night. I caught the last viewing at 9:30pm, and was the only person in the whole theatre, so that was one great thing. I missed the first 15 minutes, and just started watching it when Ashok sells his wife that her father has just died. I enjoyed the book much more, and to me the movie seemed to be very rushed. It's safe to say I was a bit disappointed, but it was still enjoyable. __________________ Mr. Burns "Non-violence never solved anything!"

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Mar 21st, 2007, 10:49	#34
capt_mahajan Dis member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,874	Hmm, maybe I am writing off a good movie and need to reexamine. and Tabu is a fantastic actress. (Really liked her in Maachis, but part of that was the director, Gulzar)

Mar 27th, 2007, 12:36	#37
Periscope Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 60	http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/namesake/ It's at 82% on RT. Really looking forward to this one; it's probably the next movie I will watch in the theaters.

Apr 2nd, 2007, 06:27	#38
Casey Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 637	I enjoyed the movie, but found it faltered a bit when the son's story took over. The actor's who play the parent's were amazing, but I think the son's acting a bit weak compared the other performances. I had read, and thoroughly enjoyed the book, but it was so long ago I don't think in interfered with my enjoyment of the film. I think the themes are quite universal and can resonate with many people. The fact that parts are filmed in India made it more enjoyable for me.

Apr 2nd, 2007, 06:50	#39
TulsaisntFar Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 163	I just saw it last night and i really enjoyed it. I'm not sure i would have enjoyed it as much if i wasnt so interested in india but it definitely is a tear jerker.

Apr 2nd, 2007, 08:25	#40
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,052	I worked on The Namesake! it's actually part of what gave me the idea to visit India on my own (though i'd sort of already wanted to for a long time) -- it made me so jealous when so many of my friends on the crew got to go, and I didn't. if anyone's curious, one of the many things I did on the film was getting like 20 identical copies of the book of Gogol's short stories you see throughout. they had to destroy it for the train scene, so they needed lots of copies in addition to the one that Gogol (the character) and his father handle in other scenes.

Apr 2nd, 2007, 22:33	#41
Periscope Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 60	I liked it overall but it did drag a little after Ashok's death and the movie became a bit smug and self-satisfied towards the end. Still I agree with everyone that both Tabu and Khan were great particularly in their scenes with each other. Loved the Calcutta scenes too. I haven't seen Kal Penn's other movies but I did read a profile which talked about how the Namesake was his big opportunity to break out from his stereotypical roles. I would say he has grabbed his opportunity: he gave a fine performance though I felt his section of the movie was not that well written.

Apr 27th, 2007, 12:25	#45
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,547	Saw it on Wednesday afternoon in Sydney too... we all loved it including our 12 year old son, I really like Mira Nair's movies. Isn't Tabu the most beautiful woman??? and I loved the slowly developing deep love between the parents. Yes it did cover a lot of ground - but then not a lot happens. We went to the Maya on Cleveland St afterwards for dinner so had a lovely Indian Anzac day! I have s soft spot for those silly movies like Wayne's World (guilty pleasures!) and was wanting to see Harold and Kumar - but have avoided it on the basis of not wanting to answer too many pot smoking questions from the son! A quick question though - in the beginning, where he is in the train crash, is the woman beside him his wife, and the child his daughter? I assumed so, but then he didn't tell Gogol about them when he told him about the crash

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