EAST IS EAST (1999)

Cast

Plot

There is much to admire about this funny and touching British comedy, not least of which, is its box office takings - £10 million prior to its video release. Set in 1971 Manchester, 'East is East' tells the story of a Pakistani chip shop owner, George Khan (Puri), who is trying to prevent his family from sliding into decadent western ways. With most of the family too assimilated to turn back, he is always fighting a loosing battle. George's determination to make his family into good Muslims is increased when his eldest sibling Nazir rebels against his prearranged marriage and bolts at the altar. To compensate for this embarrassing disappointment George secretly arranges the marriage of two other sons. When the secret gets out the plan is met with strong opposition. In an even bitter twist the two 'wives to be' have more facial hair than their potential husbands. The story is punctuated with some hilarious set pieces: the 'circumcision' and the 'boy's night out', to name only two. But as George excerpts more pressure on the family the cracks begin to show. Things are particularly tough for George's Yorkshire wife Ella (Bassett) who bares the brunt of the ensuing domestic violence. It is a tribute to the film that we get to see the Khan's world from a variety of perspectives and we find ourselves not only laughing with George, but to a certain extent understanding his point of view - whether we agree with his solution is another matter. 'East is East' is a charming, rich tapestry of a film that in the hands of Irish director Damien O'Donnell avoids being preachy. Superb!