The Namesake -- A Movie Review

When the Gangulis came to the US from India they had to adjust to a whole new way of life. Here, the water didn’t have to be boiled and gas came to their house 24 hours a day so they could cook whenever they liked. However, they knew that they would eventually adjust to their new home and learn to fit in. Over the years Ashima (Tabu) and Ashoke (Irrfan Khan) did learn to adjust to the US…but had slightly more trouble adjusting to their two US-born children, who had never learned traditional Indian values and whose dedication to family was certainly not what the elder Gangulis had learned was proper. As for their son (Kal Penn), he quickly learned that with a name like Gogol Ganguli it would be very difficult to ever get away from his heritage, no matter how he tried. Gogol took his previously-refused good name, Nikhil, and went to school to become an architect. All his friends call him Nick, and he’s very happy with his girlfriend Maxine (Jacinda Barrett), whose family he claims more readily than his own.

Every country has differences in culture; however, there is a very distinct dividing line between East and West. Those of us who have been raised in Western culture find the traditions of the Middle East and Far East very strange and extremely foreign, while between one Western culture and another the traditions are at least still recognizable -- and no doubt the same goes when the tables are turned as well. The Namesake explores some of these primary differences in the cultural struggle now familiar to thousands of immigrants all over the world – chiefly the struggles of a mother from a culture where parents are revered by their children above all others as the givers of life, with children who are from a culture where parents are there to give suggestions but otherwise stay out of their adult child’s life.

Considering the kind of movies that Kal Penn is known for (Epic Movie, Harold & Kumar and a plethora of other juvenile comedy flicks) I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this movie. However, having previously had good luck with movies featuring some of the other primaries, and thanks to the appealing introduction on the back of the case, I decided to give it a try. Not only was I pleasantly surprised with the movie in general, but also with Kal Penn’s performance in particular. Throughout the film, Penn’s character morphs from a rebellious and irreverent teenager, to a confused and very North American 20-something, and on to a mature married man who finds himself at the head of his family and inexorably drawn back to his roots. Just based on what I’ve seen from this particular actor, I really didn’t think he could pull it off...however, he delivered a very well-rounded, emotional performance that really made this film shine. The other performance that really deserves a mention is the role played by Tabu, who started out as a young newlywed who seemed uncertain of everything, then grew into the calm, wise matron of the family.

While the plot is fairly transparent throughout this movie, it’s not of central concern in this sort of film. In this movie the storytelling was far more important than twists and turns (though there are a couple of those too), and that was done superbly, with vivid visuals and authentic details. Pacing was extremely well-done with almost no down-time throughout the story, and the script fit perfectly with the characters and overall atmosphere. Altogether, this film is excellent for anyone who enjoys a good heartfelt drama, enjoys watching the resolution of culture clashes, or simply has an interest in learning a little bit about different cultures. I stumbled across this movie in my continuing quest to learn more about and understand Indian culture, and was certainly not disappointed on that count.