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Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	The Rough Road of Life Brick Lane Stars: Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kavshik, Christopher Simpson, Naema Begum and Lana Rahman Director: Sarah Gavran Scriptwriters: Laura Jones from the novel by Monica Ali Composer: Jocelyn Pook Cinematography: Robbie Ryan Sony Classics Rating: PG 13 for mature themes Running Length: 102 minutes Partially subtitled www.Sony.com Brick Lane is adapted from author Monica Ali’s 2003 best-selling novel. The title refers to a street in London, England where people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh live. Brick buildings are 3-4 stories with balconies and residents have come to Great Britain in hopes of education, freedom and a chance at a new life. What they discover is that the color of one’s skin and one’s speech pattern make a difference and even though they may have been highly educated in their country of origin, it doesn’t. Thus, we have the story of this particular family of husband, wife and two teenage daughters. Director Sarah Gavron has an eye for centering actors in a scene so that nothing detracts from what they have to do or say. The film is beautifully photographed with deep color and settings, plus Jocelyn Pook’s soundtrack is rich with emotion. This story begins in Bangladesh with Nazneen (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and her beloved, younger sister. The father is gone and their mother is sole support. Through a tragedy, the girls are separated, with Nazreen, at age seventeen, being married to an older man, Chanu (Satish Kaushik) already living in England, while her sister remains in Bangladesh. Fast forward almost twenty years and Chanu's family lives in an apartment on Brick Lane. Chanu is pompous, irritatingly talkative and embarrassed by his wife's inability to blend in after all these years. The daughters are doing well and easily adapt to British life and culture. Chanu keeps trying for advancement at his job, but eventually is let go and has to find work. To keep the family going, Nazreen takes in sewing and then meets Karim (Christopher Simpson), a younger man who brings the cloth material to her apartment. Eventually, there is an affair and then family secrets begin to unroll concerning Chanu’s life, Nazreen’s life and what is happening back in Bangladesh. Whenever Nazreen gets thoroughly fed up with her life, she retreats into a memory of she and her sister running through a field of flowers. Each of us has a place we can go for reverie and Nazreen’s is colorful and peaceful as opposed to life taking care of the needy Chanu (trims his corns) and two about-to-be-rebellious daughters. Arranged marriages can work, but in this instance, husband and wife are miles apart. Nazreen turns into a door mat and emotionally afraid to take a stand on anything. This is a bone of contention between she and her daughters. In today’s society, the girls are taught to ask questions and be proud, while their mother seems to be sliding backward. When Nazreen finally does take a stand, it is an astonishing moment. The acting in the film is very well done, especially Tannishtha Chatterjee's Nazneen and Satish Kaushik's Chanu. Brick Lane is a telling view into life of immigrants to Great Britain. Their job level forms a slightly-below-middle class that may be an eye-opener. You wonder where your jeans come from? There they are, being sewed on single sewing machines in apartments like Nazreen’s. There are loan sharks in this area, too, and even though they may be from your country of origin, doesn’t mean they are trustworthy. Everyone learns a lesson about friendships. I found “Brick Lane” to be a film filled with thoughtful and colorful observations on life. Copyright 2008 Marie Asner