BRICK LANE
UK, 2007, 102 minutes, Colour.
Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kaushik, Christopher Simpson, Naeema Begum.
Directed by Sarah Gavron.
Monica Ali’s novel about Brick Lane and Banglatown in London made quite an impact when it was published in 2004. Not everyone was happy with its portrayal of migrants from Bangladesh, especially of women, in London and there were rumblings before the making of the film version – then the Prince of Wales actually cancelled his presence at a Royal Command Performance. All this seems quite unnecessary when we see the film.
Taking part of the novel (as film versions must do), this is a very quiet, even low-key presentation of a young woman in the 1980s who leaves her home and her sister in Bangladesh after the suicide of their mother. Her memories of this childhood with her sister glow and are filmed beautifully. She is sent to London and the film moves forward to 2000. The young girl is now middle-aged, still rather inenuous, wife in an arranged marriage with two daughters, the older of whom is a discontented teenager.
Nazneem (a gentle performance by Tannishtha Chatterjee) lives an enclosed life in an estate of flats and balconies. She ventures out only for shopping. Her husband, who means well, is fired from his job when he expected promotion and intends to return to Bangladesh. While this has been a desire of Nazneem, it soon becomes a difficulty as a neighbour gives her a sewing machine and she can work at home, the young man who brings the work is attracted to her and she to him, and her daughter does not want to leave London.
In the meantime, September 11th occurs and the young man becomes more and more radicalized. Nazneem does move out a little, attending a rally and, eventually, having to chase her daughter who wants to run away.
Combining Muslim religious strands and culture, with a constant subtext of UK wariness of migrants from the subcontinent, the film offers food for thought and an emotional entry into the lives of its characters and for the plight, even fate, of women in Brick Lane.
1.The popularity of the novel, this adaptation? Its target audience? People from Bangladesh? The Bangladesh community in the UK? Its universal appeal?
2.Bangladesh, idyllic presentation, the 1980s, the countryside? Another world? Families? Memories and nostalgia?
3.The contrast with London, Banglatown, Brick Lane, the estate, shops, flats, a contained world? Venturing out? Moods? Score?
4.The two sisters, their life, their story, their mother, her depression, drowning herself, the reaction of people? Nazneen and her leaving, her sister remaining? The contrast of their lives? Going to London, the letters over the decades? The comparison of the lives?
5.The importance of the letters, their contact, Nazneen not seeing the truth about her sister, envying her life in Bangladesh, having to find her own life, her husband, his revealing the truth about her sister?
6.Nazneen, the passing of the years, her teenage children, the details of her daily life, feeling alone, the Muslim background, the repression of her feelings? Her ignorance? Going shopping, the limited outlets? Her husband, everything arranged … (TAPE CHANGEOVER) .. her relationship with her husband, his hardships, his character? His dreaming of returning to Bangladesh? His plans, her agreeing? The change, the daughter and her attitude, not wanting to go back? Home being the UK? The experience of anger? Discipline? Her daughter running away, Nazneen venturing out, chasing her through the neighbourhood? The new neighbour, friendship, a sense of freedom, her talk, sewing? Her husband’s reaction, the sewing machine? Her work, the contacts, Karim, talking with him, new feelings, the approach, the beginning of the affair, the effect, the gossip? Karim and his political changes? Her stances, her daughter? Her getting stronger, telling her husband to go, staying with her daughters? A future?
7.The daughter, the next generation of the Bangladeshis? English style? Arguments, anger, running away, reconciliation with her mother, wanting her mother to take a stand, her amazement when she did?
8.The husband, the arranged marriage, his wanting to be British, his work, expecting the promotion, not getting it, taking it badly, his plans, buying the computer, borrowing the money, his reaction to the sewing machine, the plan to go back, not listening to his wife, getting the tickets, his reaction to the letters, telling his wife the truth about her sister? The argument, going?
9.The neighbour, sewing, her speech, sense of freedom?
10.Karim, the work, his relationship with Nazneen, the affair? September 11, his being politicised, changing his clothes, going to the rallies, Nazneen following him, not able to commit himself to her?
11.The area, September 11, their watching it on the television? The effect, the meetings, the young being politicised? The UK reaction to Muslims?
12.The various members of the neighbourhood, the woman with the tattoos, the usurer, Nazneen and her reaction to her, paying back the money? Finally threatening her?
13.Familiar aspects of the story, their particular embodiment in the atmosphere of the UK?
