intelearts Brick Lane score massively as being one of the only films to be about the Pakistani experience in the UK. British cinema is woefully lax when it comes to actually documenting the greatest social change since the Norman Conquest, that of colonial immigration. There has yet to be a generational film of the Caribbean experience, or Indian etc; Films of that type tend to be about the impact but not the experience; here we get a much better and more interesting perspective, there is barely a nod to those outside the group and the film is better and stronger for it.The plot of the Bangladeshi family who are at best dysfunctional is portrayed realistically. Their daily struggles on an East London estate are beautifully done: all the parts especially the relationship between the two adults are clearly thought through and there is a complexity to their characters that visibly grows as the film progresses: she is not just a mouse, and he is not just a buffoon. I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates good drama - it really is one of the more satisfying films I have seen in British cinema of the decade - and I personally think more films exploring these different facets of Britishness is no bad thing at all.

selffamily Before I go any further - I have not read the book. I might now do so, however, as I believe with books and movies, it's usually best to see the film first. So much has to be lost when one transfers a story to screen, that the book is almost always an enriching experience. I fell over this almost in error at my local DVD store, so I did not see it on a big screen, which I would have liked. quite apart from the scenery and photography, it might have helped to be able to see the sub titles! There weren't that many of those, not enough to spoil the story.I felt that the early childhood scenes, in their innocence and sudden suicide of the mother, then leading to the point where the father could not keep both daughters at home and so arranged the marriage (my interpretation) to this "educated man" in England, were heartbreaking in retrospect, and there was quite a bit of yearning and retrospection for the poor bride. We met her some astonishing 17 years later, with her teenage daughter and younger child, not sure how old she was. They were not afraid of life, whereas their mother seemed to be virtually housebound from terror. When she met the neighbour who lent/gave the sewing machine to her, it was an enormously liberating experience for her and she began to think and act differently. The young man who was the catalyst in the change for the family, could have had two heads, she was so desperate for the fun and affection that she believed her sister to be experiencing. Her husband, a bumbling poor soul, whom life constantly overlooked was unable to cope with his daughter's puberty let alone the mounting reaction to 9/11. He became more lovable as the film progressed, obviously to both Nazeem and myself.The usurer who tried to blackmail Nazeem into extra payments, the neighbour and the others with small parts in the story were all as exquisitely drawn as the main characters. Nazeem began to understand that her life was her reality and when she held her husband's hand on the way home from the Bengal Tigers' meeting, one had a real sense of her maturity. There is so much more to this story than the top layer. I loved so many aspects of it - the acting, the photography, the story. Maybe it was simplified almost beyond belief, but that is normal. I found it moving, educational and hugely enjoyable. I shall recommend it.

reelinspiration Everyday Nazneen scrubs her foggy window pane trying to peer out of her dingy Brick Lane flat. She longs to return to her childhood home of Bangladeshi where she and her sister ran free through the lush woods before her father forced her to marry an older man living abroad.Nazneen has been raised not to question her fate, so she does her best to fulfill her duty to her husband and family.Her husband, Chanu, (Satish Kaushik) does not come off as a stereotypical tyrant but a chubby optimist who prides himself in being a western "educated man." He has instructed his daughters to assimilate into Western culture, yet expects to be treated as undisputed ruler of the household. This irony is not lost on their teenage daughter, Shahana, who disrupts the household by challenging her father. (Naeema Begum is pitch perfect as the average "mouthy" teen.) Nasneen does her best to shield (literally) her daughter from her father's retaliation. But the girls have no role model in their submissive mother. Nasneen's only connection with the outside world is what her husband shares with her. Unfortunately, he has absolutely no insight into the needs of his wife or daughters.Nazneen finally decides to facilitate their trip back to her homeland herself by taking in sewing. The handsome young man (Christopher Simpson) who delivers the garments cracks open a window to the world. Director Sarah Gavron shows Nazneen's awakening through the subtle complexity of Tannishtha Chatterjee's performance.When 9/11 ignites racial tension in the diverse neighborhoods of Britain, Nazneen must ask herself, "What is my true home?" Nazneen finds that home is where you find your strength.Don't miss the gorgeous cinematography while it's still on the big screen. BRICK LANE is one of the best films of the summer.Movie Blessings! Jana Segal reelinspiration dot blogspot dot com

terinagrossman I really loved this movie. It shows you there are many different kinds of love. If you like movies that make you cry then you'll love this movie. I did not cry until the end it was tears of joy and sadness. What a awesome movie. The acting in the film could not have been any better, stunning performances. I gave this movie a ten. You think you know what is going to happen and you even hope it will. Then maybe it wont and maybe you don't want it to. This movie was a family drama it was captivating made you smile, cry, hope and laugh. I hope to see more movies by this director. Another thing that captivated me at times was the way the picture looked when someone was recalling a moment in the past the picture was absolutely beautiful great work by all involved.