30 Second Bottom Line: An interracial couple, Pakistani husband and English wife, come into conflict when their sons don't agree with the family tradition of arranged marriages. Serious cultural and family issues are addressed with humor.

Story Line: George (Om Puri) immigrated to Britain from Pakistan in 1938. Eight years later he married Ella (Linda Bassett). By 1971, George has moved from being penniless to owning a fish shop in the neighborhood where they live. He lives in two worlds at the same time. In many ways he has assimilated to British culture. Yet George intently listens to the radio about the conflict between Pakistan and India. He maintains ties with the local fundamentalist Pakistani Muslim community and seeks their acceptance.

A key Pakistani tradition is that the father, without necessarily consulting his wife or the intended, will arrange a marriage. George & Ella have six sons and one daughter, and like most families the children's personalities and desires are in some ways like the parents and in other ways very different. Life is good until George arranges for the marriage of his oldest son. When the son looks into the eyes of the bride to be, he walks away, thereby humiliating his father.

Not to be deterred, George immediately arranges for the marriages of his next two oldest sons. A dual story develops; one is a laugh out loud comedy and the other is wry British political humor. It's OK for George to marry a white woman, but it's not OK for his children, who are products of this mixed union, to marry anyone other than a Pakistani. These young men are torn between honoring their father or living out their own dreams.

Tell Me More About It: Children have a special way of taking a marriage to the ultimate test…on par with adultery. Ella loves her children and is not afraid to take on George and express her opinions. George sees himself as the “man” in the family; in many ways he is the classical male chauvinistic pig; others must change to conform to his wishes but never the other way around.

With an activist neighbor who supports an ultraconservative political campaign, which would like to “send the immigrants back where they came from,” it's easy to see how a peaceful situation can get out of hand. Integration and diversity do not necessarily add up to acceptance. With unenlightened leadership, peaceful coexistence can turn to violence on a grand scale.

The frustration of the children is summed up when one asks another, “Where are you going?” The reply is, “Nowhere,” and the response to this is “Good, I'm coming with you.”

As in Price of Glory when Jimmy Smits meets with the family of his son's intended bride, George invites the Pakistani family over who has the two daughters he's arranged for his sons to marry. In both cases, sparks fly and there are a lot of big laughs. At the same time, there is great sadness as people are forced to stake out their positions and we see how far apart friends and loved ones can become.

East is East is great entertainment; yet it makes you ask yourself, at what point in a relationship does the hurt kill the love? George pushes buttons to the point that the question is not so much can they work it out as much as should they even try?

(R) (Language, sex, and domestic violence; however, we recommend this for parents to take their pre teen or older children)

George@reelmoviecritic.com

Om Puri: “My Son The Fanatic”

Linda Bassett: “Oscar & Lucinda”

Damien O'Donnell: “35 Aside”

George Khan: Om Puri	Ella Khan: Linda Bassett
Director: Damien O'Donnell