Sunday, May 04, 2008

Movie Review - The Namesake

I have to admit, this film is fantastic.

I felt a little misguided by the trailer, because it leads the viewer to believe the protagonist, Gogol Ganguli, takes a conscious, physical journey to realize his roots and where he fits in the world. The film is subtler than that.

The Namesake is a coming-of-age story, as well as a bridging cultural divides story. There is also some reference to class divisions as well. The allusions to Nikolai Gogol's "The Overcoat" are quite subtle, and I had to read a synopsis as well as think about it for a while.

The music in the film is great and well-integrated. My favorite piece is "The Same Song", by Susheela Raman, played during the credits.

I think this film is a chameleon, with each viewing being slightly different than the viewing before it. Its timeless story is definitely worth watching.

No comments: