Featured Audience Ratings

• Pierluigi P

  
  A beautiful journey through places, times, and mainly the souls of a group of fascinating people, struggling to find themselves in the midst of all the changes that come with life.

• Chris W

  
  This film, about a young Bengali American wrestling with a cultural identity crisis, is a nice take on the culture clash/cultural identity film, and also marks a nice change of pace for Kal Penn. True, he had a serious role on House, but there was also a lot of humor.This is a more… More
  This film, about a young Bengali American wrestling with a cultural identity crisis, is a nice take on the culture clash/cultural identity film, and also marks a nice change of pace for Kal Penn. True, he had a serious role on House, but there was also a lot of humor.This is a more mature work for him, even though Gogol isn't too far removed from Kumar. Gogol is more smart and serious though. All the cliched words like touching, heartwarming, etc apply here, and the film hits some familair beats, but it's not totally unoriginal thanks to how everything is conducted and presented. This is obviously a labor of love for Nair, and she does a great job, especially since she can relate to the material. All of the perforances are terrific, but Penn, Tabu, and Khan are the real strong points here. Give this one a shot. It's far from brilliant or new, but it is well played, and gives some welcome portrayals of India and Indian culture.

• Lucas M

  
  A beautiful film, great screenplay and direction that brings a terrific cast. Fresh.

• Jennifer D

  
  I actually watched this for a Film & Literature class and really liked it. The struggles between old world and new world were interesting and are something I think everyone can relate to. I especially liked seeing Kal Penn in a serious role. Good to know he can pull that off.

• danny d

  
  this is a really good film. universal ideals seen from two different cultures make this film profound. a few of the performances of the actors were really good and the story was strong. unfortunately the first hour of the film was much stronger than the second, the story veered off… More
  this is a really good film. universal ideals seen from two different cultures make this film profound. a few of the performances of the actors were really good and the story was strong. unfortunately the first hour of the film was much stronger than the second, the story veered off in some odd directions and the music lost its focus, but thankfully the last 15 minutes steered the film back on course and it finished well. overall it was a very good movie.

• Alice S

  
  Decent, ambitious intentions for adapting Lahiri's brilliant novel (which is very much an epic saga for under 300 pages) but had too many scenes, too little build-up for climactic moments (Ashoke's death, dissolution of Gogol and Moushoumi's marriage), and too… More
  Decent, ambitious intentions for adapting Lahiri's brilliant novel (which is very much an epic saga for under 300 pages) but had too many scenes, too little build-up for climactic moments (Ashoke's death, dissolution of Gogol and Moushoumi's marriage), and too ham-handed a treatment of the "namesake" theme. Kal Penn's good in comedies, even serious moments in comedies, but when he acts serious in dramas, he's dull (incl. "House"). Irfan Khan and Tabu are wonderful as Ashoke and Ashima. The thing I love most about the novel is that Lahiri is able to develop all three of their stories so fully; the film really only succeeds with Ashima's.

• Jason S

  
  This is a very character driven movie. One of the things that may throw people is that through the whole thing we don't know whose story we are supposed to be focusing on. Is it the wayward son? The mother trying to adapt in a strange land? The father trying to hold it all… More
  This is a very character driven movie. One of the things that may throw people is that through the whole thing we don't know whose story we are supposed to be focusing on. Is it the wayward son? The mother trying to adapt in a strange land? The father trying to hold it all together? It might be all these people. The point of the movie is to see the world through all these eyes and to learn that the world is bigger than we are but not as strong as a family together in it. The whole cast was excellent and played their parts well. Kal Penn was the weakest of the bunch but he still excelled in the role. It's long and slow at parts but the journey is worth it.

• Nate Z

  
  [CENTER][img]http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1803/marla2ik5.jpg[/img][/CENTER] [COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Arial]My Kid Could Paint That - Prodigy, fraud, normal preschooler? This incisive and captivating documentary looks at a four-year-old who has made thousands of dollars on her… More
  [CENTER][img]http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1803/marla2ik5.jpg[/img][/CENTER] [COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Arial]My Kid Could Paint That - Prodigy, fraud, normal preschooler? This incisive and captivating documentary looks at a four-year-old who has made thousands of dollars on her modern art paintings. If she is the real deal, what does that say about modern art when a child can compete with serious artists? This intensely interesting story is given as objective a viewpoint as possible even as the filmmaker is forced into his own movie when the family he's been documenting is looking at his film as a favorable retort to a very critical 60 Minutes segment casting doubt that the paintings are genuine. The filmmaker has his own doubts and explores the nature of journalism and storytelling and objectivity and what is art, and that's when the documentary transcends its story and becomes about much more. I have no doubt that the child is involved in painting (the question registers with how involved her failed artist father is), but the people that are buying her paintings are buying them because they are also purchasing the story. [I]My Kid Could Paint That[/I], as one interview subject states, is really a story about adults seeking the limelight, because otherwise it would just be a kid having fun painting in the confines of her home. Is she exploited? Is she a genuine talent in a world of paint splashes and squiggly lines? Will she ever just be allowed to be a kid? These are just a few of the tantalizing questions this mature and insightful movie raises. Nate's Grade: B+ The Namesake - Extremely heartfelt, this cross-generational family drama runs aground on some familiar territory but is boasted by strong acting. Whenever the film's focus falls to the arranged married couple settling into a new country and a new relationship, that is when [I]The Namesake[/I] is the most affecting and interesting. Too much time is spent on Gogol (Kal Penn) as their son who has completely embraced American culture and throws off his Indian roots. Of course he comes around in his opinion but his character never feels fully formed or completely believable, more like a composite of a prodigal son. Director Mira Nair has an obvious personal attachment to this tale of an Indian family trying to make their way in the U.S. of A, and she never misses her mark when dealing with the intensely decent and selfless father and his love for his wife. It's a shame then that the movie shifts too much focus at the halfway point onto Gogol. [I]The Namesake[/I] is a touching and entertaining that's a cut above thanks to sensitive performances. Nate's Grade: B+ Kickin' It Old Skool - A moderately surprising comedy that's really much more fish-out-of--water than tired [I]You Got Served[/I] dance parody. Jamie Kennedy busts a move as a kid in a man's body who wakes up after being in a coma for 20 years. There is an overemphasis on recreating the 80s in the early part, with a crushing amount of catch phrases, name drops, and dated toys and fashions. The rest of the film follows the sports formula closely as Kennedy reassembles his aged Funky Fresh Boys to win a dance competition for standard goals like saving his family and winning the girl of his dreams. [I]Kickin' It[/I] is a simpleton comedy that never aims it sights too high, but every now and then the film connects on a gag or a character that produces some real yuks (my favorite being a homeless man convinced he invented break dancing). Some of the jokes are pretty dusty and the romance is, like most of the conflict, forced and contrived, and yet I cannot hate this movie. I never grew weary watching it even though during the climactic dance-off tournament there is a dearth of even attempted comedy. Nate's Grade: C A Mighty Heart - Good intentions and some proficient camerawork can only go so far to make a film worthwhile. Angelina Jolie gives the best performance of her career as kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's wife (she's French and Cuban, making for one really tricky accent). I wanted to like this movie more. The subject matter is serious and timely, the filmmaking has a sturdy docu-drama look, and the acting never comes across as phony, but alas, I think I mentally checked out because much of the film is a detective story that I already know the ending to. Daniel Pearl was infamously beheaded, so watching an hour of his wife, friends, and local police scramble to track down key figures, their allegiances and acquaintances, and the whereabouts of Daniels can come across as fruitless and somewhat cruel. This film doesn't have the same cathartic feel that [I]United 93[/I] had because that moment was universal, and while I can admire the cinematography and superb acting I can't ignore the fact that watching people search and fail gives me little emotional reward as a viewer. Nate's Grade: B Evening - A chick flick crammed with lots of bona fide stars and A-list talent that manages to squander all talent. It slogs on and on, the back and forth nature of the plot does little to keep an audience alert, and the story it tells in the past is so pedestrian, so miniscule, and ultimately so mundane that you can't help but wonder why an old woman on her deathbed would be flashing back and remembering it. This high profile weepy never finds the right tone and often settles for maudlin and predictable plot turns. [I]Evening[/I] is the kind of movie that kills the chances for a large, female-driven film to get made in Hollywood. Nate's Grade: C-[/FONT][/COLOR]

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  a movie that shows the importance that lies within something as simple, and at the same time crucial, like someone's name...a beautiful picture directed by mira nair, it tells the story of two indian inmigrants who settle in NY and build their family there... gorgeous photography… More
  a movie that shows the importance that lies within something as simple, and at the same time crucial, like someone's name...a beautiful picture directed by mira nair, it tells the story of two indian inmigrants who settle in NY and build their family there... gorgeous photography and soundtrack, the script and the direction are very good, and the actors really stand out: Kal Penn (Kalpen Suresh Modi) is AMAZING in a serious role, but, let's face it, he''ll always be Kumar; Tabu and Irrfan Khan are great as well... i loved how this movie depicted cultural differences... it is a great drama, even funny (when it has to be).. LOVED IT!

• Drew S

  
  The Namesake is worthy of praise, but suffers from "Maria Full of Grace Syndrome"; that is, a good foreign film that probably would not be nearly as critically praised if it was a similar American product. The acting is generally good, and the dialogue shines, but those are… More
  The Namesake is worthy of praise, but suffers from "Maria Full of Grace Syndrome"; that is, a good foreign film that probably would not be nearly as critically praised if it was a similar American product. The acting is generally good, and the dialogue shines, but those are the movie's two strongest points. Its pacing is all over the map, with a downright painful first half hour and several very long uneventful stretches peppered throughout. That's to say nothing of the jarring chronological shifts that Mira Nair throws in without warning. Frankly, the movie is near unwatchable until Gogol is introduced. Tabu, performing excellently as Ashima, tries her damndest to keep us paying attention during that first act, but it's an uphill battle. For a majority of the movie, she and her husband are not interesting people, no questions asked. They only become full, dynamic, interesting humans in the last half hour of the movie. Kind of a shame when the kid from freakin' Epic Movie is stealing your thunder. This is worth seeing, but a massive disappointment. It shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the 2007 Oscars. It's just a typical family drama with a cultural twist that everyone seems to be going crazy for.

• Rico Z

  
  This is probably the first GREAT movie I have seen this year. Sure, 300 was awesome! But it was because that's in a league of its own. This movie, however, really grabs you from the start. The story takes place over the course of nearly 30 years and is filled with lessons along… More
  This is probably the first GREAT movie I have seen this year. Sure, 300 was awesome! But it was because that's in a league of its own. This movie, however, really grabs you from the start. The story takes place over the course of nearly 30 years and is filled with lessons along the way. The canvas is tinged with shades of tradition, pride, discovery and tragedy. But mostly, it is filled with a realness that seeps through and leaves you feeling like you've peered into the lives of a family. Gogol is a young man with an identity crisis. His name has been the reason he's been taunted and teased his whole life in American. His parents, both traditional Indians, must choose between raising a child the way they were brought up in India or let their son be "free" to become whatever he chooses. Along the way, there are pitfalls in Gogol's life and mistakes that must be mended. Ultimately, though, he realizes that home is where the heart is (no matter how far away home may be,) and that sometimes you've got to hold on to the memory of being in a place where there was no where further to go. This was a great movie about retracing your steps in your family lineage and finding out who you really are and where you came from. What's the story behind a name and what's the reasoning for the choice made along the way. The movie is beautifully crafted by Mira Nair (who is one of my favorite directors.) Her previous work on Monsoon Wedding and (most notably--and most recently) Vanity Fair is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the depth that a woman's perspective can bring to a story such as this one. The movie is filled with poignant moments of truth, courage and brutal honesty. The acting performances were all top-notch. Standing out are those of Kal Penn as the troubled Gogol and Irrfan Khan as his sullen, but resigned, mother. This one should not be missed!

• William D

  
  [size=3][color=black]The Namesake is an ordinary family melodrama such as you would see in a moderately entertaining television mini-series. [/color][/size] [size=3][color=black][/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]Young couple meets and starts to have babies. The children grow up… More
  [size=3][color=black]The Namesake is an ordinary family melodrama such as you would see in a moderately entertaining television mini-series. [/color][/size] [size=3][color=black][/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]Young couple meets and starts to have babies. The children grow up and go their own way. The parents feel abandoned and unappreciated. A grandparent dies and everyone cries. The parents grow old. One of them dies and it brings the whole family back together. More tears are shed, blah blah blah.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]The only thing that's different here is that the family is Indian. Other than that, this is a run-of-the-mill melodrama that belongs on the Lifetime cable channel, where I'm sure it will enjoy a full life, beloved by suburban housewives everywhere.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black][img]http://www.cinesia.net/images/movie_pictures/2006/namesake/plot_image.jpg[/img][/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]The two actors who play the parents are truly exceptional, however. It's a shame to see them wasted on such banal material. They surely are capable of a lot more than this. [/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]Her name is [b]Tabu [/b](yes, just one name), and his is [b]Irfan Khan[/b]. The little research that I did indicates that they're huge stars in India. I can see why. They're deeply intelligent actors who communicate so much in a very understated way. I would venture to guess that Tabu is India's Meryl Streep.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black][b]Kal Penn[/b], who is something of a star now in the United States, does a satisfactory job as the son. He's appealing but shallow. I think Mr. Penn is born to work in television. I'm delighted that an actor of Indian descent has become popular in the United States, but I'm disappointed that it's an actor of such minimal talent.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]I was expecting The Namesake to be very good, because I've seen one other film directed by [b]Mira Nair[/b], and that film (Salaam Bombay) was an absolute masterpiece. That was almost 20 years ago though. Ms. Nair has gotten radically more superficial as she has aged. Pity.[/color][/size]

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]Through indirect experience, I have noticed that the naming of children is a tricky proposition...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]In "The Namesake", Ashoke Ganguli(Irfan Khan) survives a train crash in India in 1974 while… More
  [font=Century Gothic]Through indirect experience, I have noticed that the naming of children is a tricky proposition...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]In "The Namesake", Ashoke Ganguli(Irfan Khan) survives a train crash in India in 1974 while reading a novel by Nikolai Gogol. So, after studying in the United States for a couple of years, he returns for a wife, Ashima(Tabu). Together, they live in Yonkers while he continues his studies. Their first child is given the pet name of Gogol, and then later a good name of Nikhil. At first, he chooses the name of Gogol(Kal Penn) but then switches back to Nikhil when he is dating a beautiful blonde, Max(Jacinda Barrett).[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Identity is important in "The Namesake", as it usually is for first generation children who waver between identifying with their heritage and their parents' new country. As in all things, balance is important as the children need to make their own way in the world while still respecting their parents.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Director Mira Nair has a loving touch for character and detail but the pacing is definitely off. The movie takes its time through the first half but speeds up towards the end as characters are not given enough time to fully develop. Worse, the movie ends unsatisfyingly, not as a way to conclude the story, but out of simple necessity. [/font]

• John B

  
  A beautiful film. Mira Nair is becoming the master of depicting Indian life both in India and those of us who went abroad.

• Deb S

  
  Very moving film accentuating the clash of cultures and struggling to overcome the cultural differences between traditional values versus Americanized modern thinking.....

• William G

  
  A familiar, simplistic story that, while nicely told, simply goes on too long.

• Erin C

  
  So sad! However, it was very good - touching and captivating. One of the best movies I've seen this year.

• Remi L

  
  OMG this movie was good! Talk about transference! It was so easy to relate to Gogol and Sonia, being the daughter of immigrants myself and trying to balance your two cultures without forsaking the "foreign" one. I only knew Kal Penn for his comedic performances (and one… More
  OMG this movie was good! Talk about transference! It was so easy to relate to Gogol and Sonia, being the daughter of immigrants myself and trying to balance your two cultures without forsaking the "foreign" one. I only knew Kal Penn for his comedic performances (and one CREEPY performance on Law & Order: SVU, check it out), but he exercised his acting chops here with success. Very moving. It felt very relatable (sp?) and real.

• Sunil J

  
  Kal Penn is really good in this but the movie itself is just average.

• Sarah P

  
  I enjoyed this movie a lot! It was just the right touches of funny, sad, and moving.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings