Brick Lane

Name: Brick Lane
Genre: Drama
Released: June 20, 2008
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 61
Cast: Christopher Simpson, Satish Kaushik, Tannishtha Chatterjee

2008

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Ratings

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5.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Ratings

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Brick Lane

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: June 20, 2008 | PG-13

Starring: Christopher Simpson, Satish Kaushik, Tannishtha Chatterjee

Summary: Nazneen’s life is turned upside down at the tender age of seventeen. Forced into an arranged marriage to an older man, she exchanges her Bangladeshi village home for a block of flats in London’s East End. In this new world, pining for her home and her sister, she struggles to make sense of her existence – and to do her duty to her husband.Nazneen’s life is turned upside down at the tender age of seventeen. Forced into an arranged marriage to an older man, she exchanges her Bangladeshi village home for a block of flats in London’s East End. In this new world, pining for her home and her sister, she struggles to make sense of her existence – and to do her duty to her husband. A man of inflated ideas (and stomach), he sorely tests her compliance. Told from birth that she must not fight her fate, Nazneen submits, devoting her life to raising her family and slapping down her demons of discontent. Until the day that Karim, a hot-headed local man, bursts into her life. Against a background of escalating racial tension, they embark on an affair that finally forces Nazneen to take control of her life. Set in multicultural Britain, Brick Lane is a truly contemporary story of love, cultural difference, and ultimately, the strength of the human spirit. (Sony Pictures Classics)
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Director: Sarah Gavron

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Tells a story we think we already know, but we're wrong: It has new things to say within an old formula. Read full review

Michael Sragow

The movie has a vibrant, sturdy pathos in the manner of Dickens. Read full review

James Berardinelli

The characters in Brick Lane must define themselves and determine where "home" is before they can move forward, and that dramatic conflict lies at the heart of this motion picture. Read full review

Josh Rosenblatt

Taken for what it is, Brick Lane is something entirely its own. Read full review

Liam Lacey

The arc of Nazneen's character, from drudge to feminist heroine, is predictably saintly. Chanu is a far more intriguingly human figure, the redeemed fool. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

One of those feminist cries in the dark in which the heroine, a saintly sufferer, is more admirable than interesting. Read full review

Michael O'Sullivan

Even as Brick Lane manages to sidestep one formula, it falls prey to another. Read full review

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User Reviews

DawdlingPoet

Nov 25, 2021

This is very much an immersive film, at times a sobering and yet thoughtful one that does well at portraying the life of indian immigrants in London. I liked the music played, the traditional Indian instrumental music and also seeing the bright vivid colours of the indian culture, theThis is very much an immersive film, at times a sobering and yet thoughtful one that does well at portraying the life of indian immigrants in London. I liked the music played, the traditional Indian instrumental music and also seeing the bright vivid colours of the indian culture, the costumes and celebrations etc. Plus; it was, of course, sad to see how people were looked down on by some. Watching the characters watch 9/11 happen again gave me the chills. I particularly liked the characterisation in this film - I thought it felt quite realistic and so it was a good film, one I'd recommend, especially with the ending, which was surprisingly somewhat moving, making this a reasonably solid film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JayH.

Jan 10, 2009

Fine drama, beautifully acted, poignant story. Well thought out direction, good screenplay, fine cinematography. It has a few slow stretches, but overall a very rewarding film.

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HarrietC.

Jul 22, 2008

Full of promise but falls short on the delivery. Beautiful story and lovely cinematography but I was waiting to be touched, deeply touched as the story had the opportunity to do. Maybe that was the intention but as a film goer I want to be swept into it all.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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