GROWING UP SMITH
US, 2015, 102 minutes, Colour.
Roni Akurati, Jason Lee, Anjul Nigam, Brighton Sharbino, Poorna Jagannathan, Samrat Chakrabarti, Shoba Narayan.
Directed by Frank Lotito.
This is a very entertaining film. It was written by its star, Anjul Nigam (who appears as the father), looking at a family who have migrated from India in the 1970s to the United States, still holding onto its traditions, but also wanting to become very American.
At the centre is a very young boy, played very engagingly by Roni Akurati, with his adult character, Smith, appearing at beginning and end of the film and doing the narration, describing what happens to Smith at the time of Halloween 1979. And the title? The Indian family wanted very much to be part of the United States, mistaking Smith for a given name and handing it on to their son. There is also a daughter at home, very much the teenager of the times, telling her parents that she was going to study all the time but then hanging out with a boyfriend.
Smith is small, glasses, but very friendly, and is in love with his fellow student across the street, Amy (Brighton Sharbino). She has a very amiable father, Jason Leigh in a very friendly role. There are problems in that household but the father, Butch, is a great friend to Smith.
At the centre of the story is the celebration of Halloween, which coincides with the into Festival of lights which means that Smith has two big the Festival food, pray the prayers at the shrine to Garnish in the house, put up the lights, before he can go out to Trick or Treat. His mother, trying her best to fit into the American lifestyle, has delayed in getting Smith’s cost interim for the class discussion and vote about costumes. He is embarrassed that his costume is garnish and is mistaken for dumbo!
The sad part of the film is that the parents have chosen spouses for their two children and, with the couple at Halloween, Smith is sent back to India to fulfil his father’s desire for him to be a neurosurgeon, to marry the girl that he was promised to – which she does his wife and dies during operation and he cannot save her. Finally, he returns to the town, his father playing golf, Butch always friendly, cycling to find Amy.
The film was directed by Frank Lotito, from Melbourne.
- The title? The humour of his parents’ choice to call their son Smith? Indian background, in the US? 1979?
- The location, the American town, streets and homes, school, the details of ordinary life? The musical score?
- The voice-over, the older Smith, the opening, by the river, his narration? The bulk of the film about young Smith? The end, Smith and his return to India, becoming a doctor, his wife, unable to save her in the operating room, his return to the US, his parents, meeting Butch, looking for Amy?
- Smith, small, his age, his accent, dark skin, being bullied at school, yet his friendship with Amy? Butch and his friendship and support? Smith and his parents, his demanding father, Indian traditions, the planned marriage, the discipline, the prayers and punishment? Smith and his sister, her telling lies, age, going out on dates, pretending she was studying, finally caught, punishment? His mother, pleasing her husband, the traditions, sowing the Halloween costume, the broken needle, the proprietor of the shop insulting her, making the Ganesh costume?
- Smith, earnest, creative, the meetings with Amy and discussions, his response to the bullying?
- Amy, her age, school, friendship with Smith, the bullies? Relationship with her parents? Her father, his bike, issues of money, her mother, complaining, wanting to leave? Amy staying with her grandmother? Wanting to go to New York, phoning Smith, his coming to stop her leaving? Butch, alert, friendly, coming to drive Smith home and his daughter staying?
- The focus on Halloween, the American tradition, the class and the discussions about costumes and votes, Smith’s mother and her being late, the costume, the Hindu feast, Smith having to put up the lights, the prayers, the food? Butch and Amy? The Ganesh costume? Going from house to house, the religious fundamentalists and their giving them the tract?
- A pleasant story about young people? Coping with hardships? Decisions? Different traditions?
- The surprise that Smith would be sent back to India and that his growing up would occur there? Hopes for his future?
