Search - East Is East on DVD

Nymphadora T. (Nymphadora) from GLENDALE, AZ
Reviewed on 1/26/2009...

Let me start by saying that this film is terribly mislabeled as a comedy when it is, in fact, very much a drama. Yes, there are times when I laughed out loud but I chose this film because I was in the mood for a comedy. Had I been in the mood for a drama I am sure I would have scored the film much higher.

"East is East" is the story of a Pakistani father, Zahir Khan, his Caucasian British wife, Ella, and their seven children. The acting is superb, the writing is excellent, and the soundtrack is wonderful. Having said all of that, I do have a few issues with the film. (SPOILER ALERT) First, the oldest son, Nadir, just kind of disappears for a while without any explanation. Did he run away? Did he kill himself? Where did he go? We find out about halfway through the film when his father pronounces that he is dead. This leaves the viewer wondering how one could have missed such an important event, but a few minutes later we realize that Nadir is only dead to him. In fact, we discover, albeit something I guessed in the first ten minutes of the film, that Nadir is gay. This is all the more reason for his Pakistani father to call him dead.

My second issue with the film is that I really liked all of the characters, even the strict and traditional Zahir. Ella is charming the way she can talk him down from almost any argument with typical British humor mixed with a few choice swear words. The kids adore their mother and, although they disagree with him, they love their father. This led me to believe that the film was going to be a "Dad is a strict traditional man, kids and mom are not, so this is the story of how everyone changes Dad." (SPOILER ALERT) Unfortunately, the story became, "Dad is an abusive and closed-minded asshole and starts beating on anyone, including mom, who dares to defy him." I just don't understand why the story had to change this way. I left the film wishing Ella would leave her bastard husband and raise her kids on her own. We went from the tenderness of how Ella would ask Zahir if he would like some tea and he would reply, "just half a cup", to Zahir calling her a bloody bitch and giving her a black eye. Why?

My final issue with the film is the ending. (SPOILER ALERT) We are left with nothing changed in the family other than the children discovering that their father isn't just strict, he is cruel. I just feel incomplete after watching "East is East". I get that the Pakistani culture is very different from British culture and that, particularly in the 1970's, the west was not very open to accepting this new group of immigrants. What else came of this story? I don’t feel warm and fuzzy toward this culture if Zahir is a shining of example of how the men truly behave. Why did he choose to marry outside of his own culture if he hates it so much? Why raise children with a mother who is not Muslim and not from Pakistan if you are just going to teach them that it is unacceptable to marry anyone who is not from Pakistan? I feel like I got a glimpse of a very dysfunctional family who will never see a happy ending and that is just not why I choose to watch films. I watch films to learn something new, or to laugh, to perhaps cry a little, but overall, I watch films to have a few hours of enjoyment. I watch films to forget my own problems for a while. After watching this, I just feel like I would have been better off calling my own family back home and hearing about their issues and problems.

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A NICE LITTLE BRITISH NUMBER

HINNA | BIRMINGHAM, WEST MIDLANDS United Kingdom | 04/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Taking in over £10 million at the UK box office, its no wonder this DVD is all the hype. With extra features such as deleted scenes, interviews with the cast and crew, behind the scenes footage, theatrical trailer and TV spots it's worth having this DVD for these alone. Based on a semi- autobiographical play by writer Ayub Khan Din this award winning comedy gives us an insight into the Anglo- Asian clash in 1970's Salford. George Khan ( Om Puri) is a Pakistani immigrant who owns a chip shop and tries to force his seven English born children to follow the traditional Pakistani ways. This film is both funny and tragic as the harsh scenes of domestic violence are placed alongside British humour, which at times both are very stereo typical and do often portray the Asian culture in a bad light. Still with its tongue firmly in cheek 'East is East' is not one to be missed. One of the best comedies I have seen in ages. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. Want to have a good laugh? Then click and order this one now!"

Pure heart

Bhanu Dhir | UK | 06/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Take one fiercely proud Pakistani, transport him to Manchester (England), get him married to a local and produce 7 kids!This is a fantastic movie and one of the best I have seen about family. In Om Puri's own words it is like Chaplin: humour with a message. The story of George Khan (magnificently played by Om Puri) his ambitions for his family (six boys and one girl) against the backdrop of the early 70s in Manchester. I must admit I was expecting slapstick, but this is really powerful stuff and captures the tensions within a family very well indeed. It is hilarious and there are some really deft touches that can only come from autobiography (the mock Hindi movie dancing at the back of the chip shop is one and the whole sequence around the arranged marriages is another.This film is not just about Asian families and it is not just about England in the 1970s (although the period and racial significance is very well captured). This is a wonderful film about unresolved family conflicts and expectations and should be seen by everyone, everywhere."

Not your average family flick

scifiwasabi | Long Island | 07/31/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I know people who were very offended by this film's portrayal of Pakistanis and I can say from my own experience that not all mixed families have the same problems as the Khans, but I still think that East is East is an excellent movie. The story is about George Khan, a Pakistani in England who married an English woman and begins to fear that his seven children are becoming too Westernized as they grow up. Anyone who comes from a multicultural family will be able to relate to the struggles of the Khan children to reconcile their father's wishes with their lives in 1971 Manchester. The movie isn't really for children and has a brutal and violent climax, but it teaches an important lesson about being at peace with one's decisions and growing up between cultures. On top of everything,the movie has a great soundtrack, with both English and Pakistani songs from the period and touches on significant historical events such as the rise of immigrant-basher Enoch Powell and the Bangladeshi war that may not be familiar to American audiences. All in all, it's an edgy, funny movie that will leave you crying with laughter and wishing it was an hour longer. If you were a fan of Zadie Smith's novel "White Teeth", you will probably like this."