Brick Lane

Based on Monica Ali's bestselling novel, Sarah Gavron's Brick Lane—which chronicles the gradual liberation of a Bangladeshi woman trapped in a stifling marriage to a traditionalist husband in London—is a curious combination of contemporary cultural commentary and formulaic melodrama that proves to be atmospheric, emotionally strong, and very well acted. Indian beauty Tannishtha Chatterjee gives a quietly powerful performance as Nazneen, orphaned after her mother's suicide and sent to England at age 17 in an arranged marriage with older expatriate Chanu (Satish Kaushik). Sixteen years and two daughters later, Nazneen's husband loses his job, and her sheltered, submissive life changes after she decides to take in sewing at home to help with the family finances—work that introduces her to a young British-raised Bangladeshi named Karim (Christopher Simpson), with whom she becomes intimate. When anti-Muslim sentiment arises in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Nazneen has to decide whether to return home with her husband or make a life for herself and her daughters in England. While the plot essentially presents time-honored clichés in a more modern context, the complexity of the characters elevates the film. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Sarah Gavron and star Tannishtha Chatterjee, six scene-specific commentaries, cast and crew interviews with Gavron, Chatterjee, Christopher Simpson, and Satish Kaushik (47 min. total), an 11-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, six deleted scenes (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid adaptation of Ali's acclaimed novel.] (F. Swietek)