Namesake

April 2007.

This film really was great in so many ways. First of all, the story itself of touching and revealing. Secondly, the actual film was well done. Lastly, it's a story and film that has a universal appeal. It is namely the story of immigrant families straddling their "mother" country and that of the US. Specifically, it's a story of a young man who has grown up as a first generation Indian-American with Indian born parents. The story highlights his struggle for identity by focusing on his name and his name change throughout his life.

Having many friends from India and having observed these struggles between their customs and American ways of life, I found that this story really strikes a chord for me and also for our times. There are more Indian - American families today in the US than in history. Understanding their perspective through revealing novels and films like this really can be educational for those not famliar with this issue. It may also help bridge the gap in understanding between this community and other communites within the US.