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Created Oct 25, 2010 10:23PM PST • Edited Oct 26, 2010 07:08AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   Coming to America, assimilating, and then regretting all that was lost is an experience familiar to Chinese-Americans, Italian-Americans, Jewish-Americans and now Indo-Americans. The Namesake tells this well trod tale in rather engaging but hardly fresh fashion. The movie slacks during the final two reels when it focuses on Kal Penn’s namesake of the title. Instead, it is the set-up story of his parents that rivets, especially his mother, a dutiful Bengali daughter of India who follows a husband she barely knows to frigid New York.

   Her children are stereotypically callow Americans, and not very interesting ones at that. The movie perks up again briefly in its final reel when another first generation Indo-American (Zuleikha Robinson from Lost) injects some glamour and romantic danger into the proceedings.

   While disappointing, The Namesake is well worth watching for those interested in India, Indo-Americans, and the modern immigrant experience.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   The actresses shine in this movie.

   • Indian star Tabu deftly plays a young bride who ages to become a wizened woman.
   • Zuleikha Robinson also shows great range, from nerdy introvert to extremely sexy woman of the world.
   • Jacinda Barrett impresses as a WASP girlfriend.

   The lead actors are better known to Western audiences however.

   • Irrfan Khan impresses as an egg-headed Father, devoted to his wife and kids, a role that is worlds apart from the hardbitten police inspector he played in Slumdog Millionaire.
   • Kal Penn – Kumar of Harold and Kumar fame – reliably holds together the bulk of the movie, if not exactly proving he can carry it.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

10. Film

    OK 2.5

11. Direction OK 2.5

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music OK 2.5

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.5

17. Sex Titillating 1.7

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 1.8

21. Reality

    Glib 1.1

    Kal Penn’s real name is Kalpen Suresh Modi. Born in America, he split his first name in two for professional advantage. That makes him the living alter ego of his character.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.2

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0