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The Namesake
The Namesake Image
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Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 53 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Irrfan Khan, Kal Penn, Tabu
  • Summary: Spanning two generations, two clashing cultures and two very different ways of life that crash into each other only to become lovingly intertwined, The Namesake is ultimately about the imminently relevant question: what does it mean to be an American family? (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    100
    Brims with intelligence, compassion and sensuous delight in the textures, sights and sounds of life--all the way from the Taj Mahal to Pearl Jam.
  2. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: M. E. Russell
    100
    Nair takes mostly low-key material about a traditional Indian family raising kids in America and turns it into something sensual, funny and quietly devastating.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Anna Smith
    60
    This Indian immigrant family saga is a pleasant watch, but given the emotive source novel, it's surprisingly superficial.

See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 2 out of 26
  1. ChetR
    9
    Nair is beginning to fulfill her promise by evolving into a major filmmaker in a very specialized niche.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. NathanR
    5
    If you want a much better story about the conflict and struggle to adapt between immigrants and their first generation children, watch/read the Joy Luck Club. I echo Andrew K. in that the movie tried to cover too much, and in the end, felt twice as long as the 2+ hours it really is. When you can surmise the message of a movie within the first 10 minutes of watching it, it makes you wonder what the next two hours are for.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. T.S.
    2
    Please do not be fooled by this film. This is not a "comedy" by any stretch of the imagination. It is an unfathomably slow moving film about an Indian family that moves to america. The director will have 3 minute shots of people drinking tea etc.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 26 User Reviews

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