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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Chutney Popcorn

EMAILPRINTMata Films / Seneca Falls

Chutney Popcorn reviews
66
10.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 8 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 2 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Susan Carnival
Nisha Ganatra

Directed by: Nisha Ganatra

Release Date:
Theatrical: September 22, 2000
DVD: August 14, 2001

Running Time: 92 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Not rated

Starring Cara Buono, Nick Chinlund, Eliza Foss, Nisha Ganatra, Jill Hennessy, and Sakina Jaffrey

When Sarita discovers she can't have children, Reena finds that for the first time in their lives, she, Reena, can do something her perfect sister Sarita can't: get pregnant! Now she just needs to convince her commitment-phobic girlfriend to go along with the idea. (Mata Productions)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

80

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Because Chutney Popcorn knows its characters deeply enough to let them determine events, it rises above formula. It is also unusually well acted.

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80

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Its easygoing, disarming air will endear it to its target audience, who will appreciate this movie as much for the lifestyle it depicts as its actual story.

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75

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Her story (Ganatra) -- and the rest of the gifted, multicultural cast that brings it to life -- represents another step in the evolving face of film.

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75

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

The film is alt-schmaltz, and it'll do.

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63

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

There's some lumpy writing and uneasy acting, but it's easy to see why this charming, inventive film won prizes at festivals in Berlin, San Francisco and Newport, R.I.

60

Village Voice Jessica Winter

The director has a fitfully deployed gift for droll humor, but Chutney Popcorn mostly provides evidence that the ins and outs of the improvised multiparent family can be as prosaic as the nuclear Eisenhower model.

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60

TV Guide Ken Fox

What's amazing is how much first-time director Ganatra and cowriter Susan Carnival get right.

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50

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Her direction is weak, her dialogue is cliched, and her acting lacks energy and focus.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 10.0 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Monica A. gave it a 10:
This movie was interesting, very well done. Nisha Ganatra is very good at what she does. In all respects. I am sorry I did not see this film when it first came out.

Barbara M. gave it a 10:
For once a director gives us a secure main character! I think some critics have misunderstood this aspect and have characterized Ganesha's character (Reena) as emotionally remote. On the contrary, having an emotionally secure central character reveals much more about supporting characters because they are not overshadowed by Reena's responses to them. Reena is a focal point of the film, but the real story is about family life, specifically Reena's biological and extended family and her lesbian quasi-family. Because Reena's insecurities and defenses are not shutting out hostile forces, supporting characters are allowed to develop with greater independency than is usually found in films. I am reminded of the main character in "Finding Forester." The end effect in both films is a less reductive depiction of character as a mosaic.

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