Margarita with a Straw

The young heroine of Shonali Bose's Margarita with a Straw is something of a cinematic first: a bisexual exchange student from India with cerebral palsy. As played by Kalki Koechlin, she is one of the most charming and invigorating characters to appear in contemporary indie cinema. Young Laila is a college student in Delhi, encouraged by her parents to be an active part of the daily world. Laila spurns the attention of a disabled classmate and attempts to win the heart of an uninterested band singer. Despondent over the rejection, Laila takes advantage of a very timely scholarship that enables her to study in New York City. Here, in new surroundings, she makes the acquaintance of a blind woman of Indian and Pakistani heritage, and their friendship quickly blossoms into a romantic liaison that catches Laila unprepared. The beauty of Bose's film is that it never delivers any heavy-handed messages regarding disabilities, sexual orientation, or even the immigrant experience. Anchoring this endeavor is the remarkable Koechlin, who offers a fully textured performance as a young woman who refuses to be defined by pre-conceived notions related to her abilities or her sexuality. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)