Absolute rubbish - Brick Lane (2008) Discussion

Well,I didn't think much of the book-the definition of 'boring'.So I figure the film has to be a step up.

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well, if the book reviews are anything to go by... i really don't think it's going to do well. can't wait to see it none-the-less... so that i can justifiably -mercilessly diss it. :)

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[–] helens_zone 17 years ago

"Written, Directed and Produced by three women who have absolutely no empathy with their characters "

Interesting, then, that the writer is in fact Bangladeshi herself.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] filmly 16 years ago

really enjoyed the film. i can see why it might upset some people - it's about a woman and her family caught between two cultures. so obviously not everyone is going to agree with its point of view. But it's a beautifully shot, well acted film. if you think it doesn't present a realistic portrayal of your community then write a book and make a film yourself. i'm not a fan of book burning and deriding something without bothering to see it first of all.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] assistant-34 16 years ago

The writer OF THE BOOK is half Bangladeshi - the writer, producer and director are all white, upper middle class

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[–] soapbox-4 16 years ago

Sounds like racist comments to me. I'm an Australian male writer.... better not write about anything outside my socio-econimic or cultural base, eh? How dare Steinbeck write about homelessness while he had a home.

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[–] moniquemark 16 years ago

first the OP says that it is not... the typical- bangladeshi experience... and it is false ... then he says it is full of sterotypes. Which is it. On one hand he wants it to be typical and on the other and he wants it to be different. The fact that he thinks all people experience the same thing shows he is igorant.

I LOVED this movie.

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[–] mfamith 16 years ago

Granted that there are particular insights that members of a community can bring out that other members who aren't part of that community can't. The success of movies from Martin Scroseesse's mafia films and Coppolla's Godfather is that other than the criminal aspect of the characters, you do see an authenticity of the portrayal of Italian Americans.

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[–] matthewpr06 16 years ago

Are we supposed to take your opinions seriously when you use phrases like "neo-colonialist propoganda"?

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[–] suganspice70 16 years ago

I agree...terrible film

I am a first generation asian woman...and everything the film protrays is nothing like my community/my culture...

Jus coz the writer is Bangaladeshi...doesnt mean he/she speaks for everyone...if anything, they speak for a handful of people....and ignorant people tar the same brush with anyone who is brown

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] dynamoprincess 16 years ago

I don't believe the writer of this book once said she was speaking for the whole bangladeshi community.This is one womans story and could have taken place in any country in any community.There are a million stories to be told,this is just one.Take it for what it is,it isn't an attack just because you don't agree with it or see yourself up on the screen doesn't mean it should be tarred and feathered.I enjoyed the film,and this is coming from a person who couldn't stand the book.

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[–] caster_troy_uk 16 years ago

1 Thing I dont like bout most British Asian Movies and TV Series/Soaps.

Most of the Asians they show are the 80s or early 90s generation. Thats something I dislike. People are gona think Asians are like this but they aint. I'm full bangladeshi and live in London. The Asians round me and other manors arent like the Asians you see in in most of the movies/Series/Soap.

And the role they give Asians in other movies are uncool roles. And similar thing culture clash. I aint seen this movie dou but by readin the first post I know what most of this movie is bout.

Insha Allah in my next life in Earth I'll be releasing British movies with Asians as the top and the release order will be this. And they'll be heavy (great) movies.

2007 Asian Mafia
2008 Asian Mafia Zero (Prequel to 1)
2009 Don

And I'm gona be the main guy in all 3 of them. I predict Asian Mafia Zero will be the best one.

Story of Asian Mafia Zero: Asian teenagers who are Organised gangster (Mafia) wanabees get their wish as they get involved with a Mumbai Underworld member who escaped from India to hide in Britian.

Story of Asian Mafia: They aint kids no more there Adults and they aint no small time crooks but Mobsters (Organised Criminals) who are at war with 1/2 British Mobsters and alot of disagreeing has occured in the Asian Gang.

Doesn't these 2 movie story seem much better then them typical British Asians movie stories.

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[–] roell29 16 years ago

Your first movie will come out in 2007 so you will have to be reincarnated in the past? It all sounds a bit "iffy" to me, to be honest. Not the sort of thing I would invest in personally, if I had any money. Still if Asian Mafia Zero is as good as you say, then I will certainly look forward to Don in 2009. But then I would have to be reincarnated along with you to see it, wouldn't I? Would have to be a REALLY good movie for me to go to all that trouble. Think I'll just settle for Asian Babes 3 for now.

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[–] mikexx 16 years ago

Right, because retread gangster stories are so much more realistic of the "Asian" (code-word: Muslim) community than the story of a woman in an "arranged" (code-word: has no choice) marriage.

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[–] Pangur_Ban 16 years ago

I don't think the film makers ever said this movie was supposed to represent the lives of the entire Asian population. If there's only a handful of people who lives like this, as you say, the movie is probably portraying the lives of these handful of people.

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[–] mfamith 16 years ago

"I don't think the film makers ever said this movie was supposed to represent the lives of the entire Asian population. If there's only a handful of people who lives like this, as you say, the movie is probably portraying the lives of these handful of people."

Unfortunately for some people, movies are the window to other people's homes.

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[–] mmmdawn 16 years ago

I agree with you amythest92, I think it's really stupid of people to expect films to be like anthropological documents. It's FICTION.

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[–] savagejj 16 years ago

S-cross, go and see it and form your own opinion. I saw it tonight and absolutly enjoyed the movie.

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[–] qpw3141 16 years ago

One comment I have to make about this thread is that those who complain about racial stereotyping are being a little unfair.

Since there are few mainstream books/films about Bangladeshis it's a given that any particular one will either be accused of being based on stereotypes or in some other way decried as innaccurate.

Ask yourselves which English film about a 'typical' (i.e. caucasian) man or woman portrays a life that is lived by all people who can be similarly classified. Of course, there are none!

The author of the book on which this film was based almost certainly built the characters from aspects of people she had encountered, doubtlessly amplifying certain characteristics to aid narrative drama.

For all the talk of stereotypes the greatest resonance I found in the book with another fictional character was between the ever optimistic sister who never saw bad in anyone and Rob Bryant's taxi driver in Marrion and Jeff!

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[–] Krustallos 16 years ago

I saw this film with a first generation Pakistani woman who escaped from an arranged marriage much less satisfactory than the one shown here. She thought the film was moving, involving and generally excellent. It certainly resonated with her.

Obviously there are big differences within every community and the particular can never represent the general, but I reckon if you're going to cry "stereotype" you need to explain why. Are you saying that many Bengali women are not expected to stay in the home, that Islamic fundamentalism is not on the increase, that there isn't a cultural conflict within the community and even within individals? The one character you could possibly accuse of being stereotyped here is Chanu, and in the end the stereotype is completely undercut and he is shown as being noble and dignified.

It seems to me that if anyone has a valid complaint about being sterotyped in this movie it's white English people - portrayed as racist thugs, mad tattooed women and shoreditch twats, end of story.

I suggest that what we actually have here is the usual story of "don't wash the dirty linen in public". You would think that Bangladeshis would be proud of the fact that their community has spawned a successful novelist and one of the very best London films of recent years. Instead, Ms Ali is attacked and the film crew is driven off the streets. Which gives the worse impression of the community, the film or the behaviour of a bunch of immature men who apparently feel there is some threat to their masculinity involved?

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

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[–] samscomps 16 years ago

I dont think it matters which community you're from, you should be able to suspend disbelief and lose yourself in the story. Thats the beauty of filmmaking. Having said that, while the novelist who wrote Brick lane is Asian, the three women who made the film aren't, and this shows in the stilted dialogue, especially from the father, and mostly in the beginning. It was mostly the dialogue that jarred for me, along with too many flashbacks that became a bit repetitive. Aside from that I thought it was a lovely movie, with strong performances from the central character, not to mention being lovingly shot.

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[–] evil_blanka 16 years ago

Some people are just new to the concept of accepting something that may be false about who they are, or the community they grew up in.

Get over it. Its a fictional film, and just cos your life might have been good, doesn't mean everyone elses was.

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[–] suganspice70 16 years ago

her life was good.....as a child of first generation parents who immigrated to this country, they came across harsh times, much harsher than the character of this book.....

but no1 started sleeping with someone else to ease those woes....surly thats just disrespecting your family, yourself and making things worse

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[–] mikexx 15 years ago

Regarding your last paragraph, Krustallos, none of it makes any sense until you come to understand that Islam is a rape-cult by, of and for males to do just about damn thing they please and justify it in some sura or hadith or other.

Making a film about "arranged marriage" (arranged rape) exposes the sham.

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[–] Krustallos 15 years ago

Regarding your last paragraph, Krustallos, none of it makes any sense until you come to understand that Islam is a rape-cult by, of and for males to do just about damn thing they please and justify it in some sura or hadith or other.

Making a film about "arranged marriage" (arranged rape) exposes the sham.

Well, Mikexx, first of all arranged marriages are not exclusive to Islam (they are routine in the Hindu community also). Secondly not all Muslims have arranged marriages. Thirdly the film (and the book, which I have since read) is not actually that negative about arranged marriages. And fourthly since the male party is almost as likely to end up with someone they wouldn't have chosen, does that mean that the men are being raped too?

I do agree that Islam is largely patriarchal, delusional claptrap, but then so are most religions, to some degree.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

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[–] mikexx 12 years ago

Thirdly the film (and the book, which I have since read) is not actually that negative about arranged marriages..

Well, given that an overtly negative stance would get a filmmaker stabbed in the liver like Theo van Gogh, I can see reason for trepidation.

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[–] mrbgoode 16 years ago

"Absolute rubbish" based on a preview?? That's the kind of judgmental, inflexible and uninformed attitude that good art attempts to expose and change. Maybe if you see the movie, you'll open up a little. I'll bet those bad votes on the IMDB rating also came from people who didn't see the movie.

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[–] assistant-34 16 years ago

I DID SEE THE MOVIE!!! A PREVIEW is when you see the moviw before it comes out in cinemas!

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[–] ma407 16 years ago

I agree.. contrived and full of itself.

Instead of trying to write a screenplay to win an award write one that is real.
Stop knocking Assistant34's comments, he/she is entitled to dislike this movie.

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[–] TaoLou 16 years ago

At least watch the movie before you attack it - since when can anything go by a preview?

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[–] s-cross 16 years ago

That's sad, I was looking forward to this one.

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