Brick Lane

Based on Monica Ali’s novel (which was short-listed for the Booker Prize), Sarah Gavron’s lush love story set in East London explores the lives of Bangladeshi immigrants caught up in social turmoil before and after 9/11. Nazneen (Tannishtha Chatterjee) emigrates by way of arranged marriage to the educated but arrogant and overweight Chanu (a wonderful Satish Kaushik). She corresponds with the beloved sister she left behind, romanticizing their childhood and their hoped-for reunion and not recognizing the ugly truths hidden between the lines of her letters. When, against her husband’s wishes, she starts sewing for an importing business to save money to return to Bangladesh, she falls for Karim (Christopher Simpson), a handsome entrepreneur whose militant activities mirror the anti-Muslim sentiments in the city. An atmospheric score by Jocelyn Pook and a dreamy color structure make Gavron’s feature film debut eminently watchable, and compelling performances from the three leads buoy the somewhat sentimental story line. 102 minutes | Kendall Square