Brick Lane (PG-13, 2008)

To the beloved sister she left behind in Bangladesh, Nazneen (Tannishtha Chatterjee) is the adventurer sent to London to marry an educated man. But little do they know how small her world really is. She lives in the projects and rarely leaves her apartment, except to run errands for her family. Her much-older husband, Chanu (Satih Kausik), is indeed learned, but his knowledge is limited to books, and real life doesn't mesh well with his self-image. He loves Nazneen but cares more about how she serves his needs, and they don't have much in common besides their two daughters. When Chanu loses his job, scuttling plans to return home, Nazneen starts sewing for money, a decision that impacts her life in ways no one would have expected. With a post-9/11 world as a backdrop, Nazneen finally begins to explore life.

BRICK LANE (which is based on the same-named novel by Monica Ali) manages to take on ambitious topics -- love, poverty, feminism, immigration, even terrorism -- and transform them into an evocative, intimate viewing experience. What first seems like a predictable plot is quickly proven otherwise, bolstered by strong performances from nearly the entire cast. Chatterjee does much with little: Nazneen doesn't have that many lines, but when she has something to say, it's potent. Just the look on her face when she's remembering a rare moment of bliss speaks volumes.

That said, the film takes a meandering route to explore what love means -- and what being a mother entails -- and a few spots don't ring true, starting with the stereotypical portrayal of a usurer. And in the end, when Nazneen appears to finally realize whom she loves, and how, the revelation is hollow. (It doesn't help that the film sets up the man she loves as a fairly pitiful, even laughable, character.) And although theoretically Nazneen's sister is a major character, because she's seen only in flashes, in no time, she almost seems unnecessary. And she's definitely not.

Studio: Film 4
Director: Sarah Gavron
Cast: Christopher Simpson, Satish Kaushik, Tannishtha Chatterjee
Genre: Drama
Run time: 101 minutes
Theatrical release: June 20, 2008
DVD release: January 12, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: some sexuality and brief strong language.