I just want to say that I recently saw the movie The Namesake on a flight from Orlando to San Juan,Puerto Rico. I truly loved the movie!

It was great to see a movie that is so intense at time an yet there are several love stories being told all at once.
THroughout the movie you could feel the feelings of love for one's country, respect for one's heritage, respect of the family and finally how even if we think that everything will go perfect in our lives; sometimes bad things happen to good people.

I cried some, I laughed some but more than that I truly enjoyed this movie and have recommended it to all my friends.

John Padilla
pdjo4@aol.com
Orlando, FL

Adnaan, yes thats my name. My father always loved Arabic words (we being Muslims). Means a person who lives in "Adan-a place in heaven".
Its a beautiful name, but I always had a problem with the way it was spelled on my Birth Certificate, so I started spelling it as "Adnan". And well after watching this movie and staying away from my country, I prolly am gonna keep my name as my father gave me :)

A wonderful eye opener movie, although I havent read the book yet. Shows the importance of our parents and the love they have given us all throughout, which some how in this crazy new world we seem to have forgotten.

-Adnaan.

I am from East Tennessee and saw my first Mira Nair film "Monsoon Wedding" while on a business trip to New York. Now I'm taking my entire family (6 of us total) on a New York vacation during 4th of July week. I hope to take us all to see "The Namesake" --probably on July 7th? I wonder if the film will still be in any New York cinemas at that particular time? I hope so! Where could I find out for sure?

Mira Nair has done justice to Jhumpa Lahiri's book and her characters -- The Gangulies. The images of Calcutta now Kolkata are fantastic and the spirit of that part of India and it's people is perfectly captured. Thanks to Lahiri for penning down this beautiful story.

Beautiful story; wonderful film; perfect casting; goes deep into the soul of every person; tells the story of familial love complete with the challenge the paradox of time creates; every person in today's moving, multi-cultural world should experience this film; it showcases the issues every person faces moving from youth to old-age; from culture to culture; from generation to generation. Do not miss it.

Folks,
You should know by now it is not up to the Director for MAJOR distribution. The studios have to decide if a film is a "worthy" investment for major distribution. Too often these gems (like Namesake)get lost in the Hollywood shuffle and we are left to choose among-
idiots on ice, kiddy fodder or formulaic slasher films.
We as viewers have the TRUE power to voice our options view e-mails, blogs and word-of-mouth. Perhaps only then perhaps will we be able to have serious major distributions of quality films in the United States.
LBNY

As a semi-redneck, I thought this was a good flick. Good story, some nice looking women, and maybe a little bit of what my family went through in the 1800's when they came here from England and Germany. I had zero knowledge of Indians and their culture other than seeing them at registration desks at motels. I'll read the book and buy the DVD.

My wife and I saw this moview last weekend in NY. We loved it. Especially roles played by Tabu and Khan. We want to show this movie to our kids, but we can't due to the sex scenes. It is a great movie for the 2nd and 3rd generation kids in USA to see, but many will not be able to due to the sex scenes. Why the sex scenes? What does it add to the movie? Please release DVD without the sex scenes and I, and millions of other parents, will buy it for their kids.

Namesake….whose?

Mira Nair has provided a very lopsided view of the Bengali Psyche in Jhumpa Lahiri's Namesake. Namesake is the story of the tribulations, the conflicts and the dilemma of Ashoke & Ashima Ganguli, uprooted from their familiar Kolkata and displaced in an alien world. Nair has failed to see through Ashima and Ashoke's sentiments and emotions and in the process made a caricature of the Bengali trying hard to establish his identity in a world totally different, in adept at understanding traditional values. Irfan Khan as Ashoke Ganguli has done an excellent job and seems to be a perfect choice. He has very successfully portrayed the Bengali inflections while speaking English. Kal Penn as Gogol could not have been better. But Tabbu's Ashima was an absolute failure especially in the first half of the film. She lacked the softness, combined with the forthright, quintessential quality of the middle class Bengali intellectual. Nevertheless Tabbu proved her skill as a powerful actress in the 2nd half of the film. Probably it was Nair's obsession in presenting Kolkata her squalor, her crowds her multifaceted milieu and the essentially Bengali wit in the common man could not do justice to Lahiri's novel which stands in a class apart. The nitty gritties of a matured man -woman relationship could have been explored in a more subtle manner and this is where the film lacks in finesse.
Thus the film failed to project how the immigrant Bengali has adjusted with the American and carved a niche for himself in the Intellectual world. It seemed as if the Bengalis are only concerned about establishing their Bengali culture and that they have no other concern as conscientious individuals committed to society.

Sharmistha Chaudhuri
39 Southend Park
Calcutta 700029
West Bengal, India

Come to Atlanta!!!

come to tampa, florida

Hi I'm surprised this movie is not playing at many places, i think fox Searchlight is missing the huge potential of this movie and marketing it as a regional indian movie. This type of movie can be easily related to by everyone! When will it be screened here in Atlanta?

Everyone has the same question...Don't you want to make money from a movie everyone would like to see??? Why isn't it being played anywhere after the advertised opening of March 9 (today is March 16)??? I've never encountered this problem before!!

I am in Michigan...I read the book and saw the trailers for it during another movie...Our interest is peaked...How about sending it to the theaters!!??

I can only imagine there are thousands, if not millions of first generation Indo-Americans around the U.S. (like me) who are eager to see this film, if the comments in this blog are any indication. It sounds as if it could be a great ice-breaker for many parents and children who experienced (and are still experiencing) the same thing. I have not "found" that perfect moment to openly talk about this emotional issue with my own parents, but will now take the opportunity, given that Mira Nair has produced such a realistic story to set the stage. As is our culture, it isn't a topic that comes up in daily conversation. Thank you! Please try to include Florida in your distribution.

I loved the book and the trailer made me cry. This is my story, this is the story of a whole bunch of us who grew up in the states during the 70s as young children.

When is this movie going to be released nation-wide? I loved the novel. It's obvious people all around the country want to see it. Come to the South!! I live in Mobile, Alabama, and unfortunately, I doubt it will come here, but I go to Atlanta and New Orleans often and it's not playing there either.

When will this movie be released all over the U.S? Please come to Chicago

tebsap
Boa noite..............LIDIOOOOO

Have seen Monsoon wedding at least 100 times. Mira you make me cry. I wait for the Namesake

When will it be released in Buffalo?

When will it be released in Buffalo?

This movie will strike a chord in many an Indo-American Immigrant...Hope this movie releases all across the US soon.

Please come to the DC area soon! It feels like this movie is about my life and I must see it!

I want to see this movie SO bad!!! Come to Missouri PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I saw the trailer of it upcoming but its not playing in any of the theaters. :(
I have to see this movie!!!

As I looked at the reviews from all over, I was choked with nostalgia. I have read the book with all my soul and it captures of so much of what an immigrant like me feels out there. Only feel bad that living in small town America, will not be able to enjoy it on the opening week. Always been a huge fan of Tabu and Irfan. God Bless Jhumpa, Mira and the whole crew.
Saumyajit Datta

As a American Indian, you showed our world through your eyes. I thank both you and Jumpa for a outstanding view of production and concept. Hope to see many more in the future. -Padma

Thank you Mira and Jhumpa for wht is sure to be a classic. I attended the screening at AMC on 3/7 and to my utter delight the stars of the movie were there (sans Kal Penn).Being able to tell Tabu how GREAT she was in the film is a memory I will cherish. I'm non-Indian with a passion for all things Indian. Especially Indian/Bollywood films. This surpasses them all. Leslee Chinelli

I loved Jhumpa Lahiri's novel. It was close to my heart as well. I hope Ms. Nair's film will be released across the US soon!

Come 2 St. Louis
The book was great hope the movie will be too

Being of indian heritage but being brought up in New Zealand and Australia..the book has always been very very close to my heart and I cant wait to see the movie -which from the visuals itself looks fantastic! though no suprise as Mira Nair is after all the director!
Was just wondering when will the "namesake" be released in down under????

I also tried to attend the screening last night at the AMC on 19th Street. What a joke---a HUGE line, waiting in the cold for an hour, then not getting in (and no one ever came down the line to let us know what was going on, or why we were barely moving). Movie studios wonder why no one goes to theaters anymore and then keeps pulling stunts like this? Maybe they should stop over-booking theaters----the VILLAGE VOICE and other places (WNYC, etc.) apparently gave away passes, but I don't understand the logic of sending out seemingly thousands of passes when a theater seats 400.

So to the VOICE, FOX, etc.---THANKS for making us wait in the cold, denying us a seat, then not even saying sorry or giving us some sort of consolation. I'll be sure remember this the next time FOX has some big picture they're giving away "passes" to.

Thank you for the invite to NAMESAKE.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to get in to the movie. I did manage to get to the theatre 1 hour prior to the alloted time, but by then both the Press & Fox Searchlight attendance lines were long enough to go around 2 corners-which indicated to me that I'd never get in--between that factor & the freezing cold, I felt it wiser to leave.

While I understand PRESS has the luxury of getting into the theatre before others, there were so many press people that I doubt any 'Searchlight' guests were able to attend.

Congratulations to you & Ms. Nair for another hit--I will be seeing the film at the Director's Guild screening instead.

Regards,
Alyxx Morgen

Fox SearchLight wrote:
RSVP Reminder
A. Morgen,

This is a reminder e-mail for the screening of THE NAMESAKE. Screening details are provided below. Remember, promotional screenings are on a first-come, first-served basis and not guaranteed seating. We'll see you there!

AMC 19th Street East Theatre
890 Broadway
New York, NY
7:00 PM Mar, 07 2007
2 Seats

Please print this e-mail and bring it with you to the screening.

Come to Seattle! I read the book as well and loved it... really looking forward to seeing the movie.

I loved the book and am a HUGE fan of this director! Looking forward to seeing the movie!

Farrah N. Ashline

Come 2 Miami, Florida