This trifle of a movie bears more than a passing resemblance to Ang Lee's 1993 "The Wedding Banquet", but it also owes a debt to the Universal Studios romantic comedies of the late 1950's-early 1960's by way of Bollywood. Truer to the spirit of those Doris Day-Rock Hudson concoctions than the far more costly and laborious send-up, Peyton Reed's 2003 "Down With Love", this 2004 indie film has a more contemporary agenda in mind. With his first feature-length film, director Ian Iqbal Rashid uses a narrative device I haven't seen since Herbert Ross's "Play It Again, Sam" - whereas Woody Allen channeled the spirit of Humphrey Bogart in the former film, the gay protagonist here does the same with Cary Grant, apparently his "imaginary" friend since childhood when his mother deserted him temporarily for the excitement of life in London. The movie star provides unsolicited guidance on romantic relationships and the importance of appearing straight in a world hostile to gays.
Choosing Grant (over a more predictable gay icon like Rock Hudson) is intriguing in that he was a celebrity surrounded by innuendo about his sexuality. It sounds silly and derivative - and to a great degree, it is - but the movie maintains a sweet tone with surprising shades of resonance toward the latter part of the film. I just wish it could have gone down a more audacious path to match its concept. The story revolves around Alim, a Toronto-raised South Asian who is now living in London with his boyfriend of a year. His mother Nuru comes to visit him unexpectedly in the hopes of prodding him to return to Toronto and marry a nice Indian girl. The problem is that Alim has not come out to his traditional and devout Muslim mother, and he has to decide to either tell her about his situation or risk losing his boyfriend Giles, who has led quite an active social life prior to Alim. The plot machinations at the beginning provide an excuse for broad caricatures and silly predicaments much like the movies to which Rashid is paying tribute, and Nuru is initially your typical guilt-skewering mother. However, the movie takes some interesting turns with Giles and Nuru having an unexpected rendezvous through London and the plot strands coming together at the traditional wedding of Alim's cousin back in Toronto.
The cast is variable in quality. Jimi Mistry portrays Alim with genuine vulnerability and palpable angst even if he has an unfortunate habit of looking constipated during his more dramatic moments. Better is Suleka Mathew, who seems too young to be playing Nuru, though she at least gets to play a more complete character arc from a kvetching harpy to supportive mother. As Giles, Kristen Holden-Reid does what he can with a rather bland part. Playing the impossible role of Cary Grant, Kyle MacLachlan is actually quite good if you can get past the fact that Grant is unplayable without a certain sense of parody and impersonation. Aided by a series of wardrobe changes true to Grant's most famous films, MacLachlan actually get the voice down right and certainly has the requisite square jaw, but I wonder if his obtrusive phantom presence should have been supplanted by computer animation or even a voice-over to convey his character's purpose. Brian George, familiar Seinfeld player Babu Bhatt, as Uncle Hassan and Verna Sood as Aunt Dolly provide expert comic support. In spite of the creativity in adapting familiar movie concepts, overall the film feels relatively tepid.
Choosing Grant (over a more predictable gay icon like Rock Hudson) is intriguing in that he was a celebrity surrounded by innuendo about his sexuality. It sounds silly and derivative - and to a great degree, it is - but the movie maintains a sweet tone with surprising shades of resonance toward the latter part of the film. I just wish it could have gone down a more audacious path to match its concept. The story revolves around Alim, a Toronto-raised South Asian who is now living in London with his boyfriend of a year. His mother Nuru comes to visit him unexpectedly in the hopes of prodding him to return to Toronto and marry a nice Indian girl. The problem is that Alim has not come out to his traditional and devout Muslim mother, and he has to decide to either tell her about his situation or risk losing his boyfriend Giles, who has led quite an active social life prior to Alim. The plot machinations at the beginning provide an excuse for broad caricatures and silly predicaments much like the movies to which Rashid is paying tribute, and Nuru is initially your typical guilt-skewering mother. However, the movie takes some interesting turns with Giles and Nuru having an unexpected rendezvous through London and the plot strands coming together at the traditional wedding of Alim's cousin back in Toronto.
The cast is variable in quality. Jimi Mistry portrays Alim with genuine vulnerability and palpable angst even if he has an unfortunate habit of looking constipated during his more dramatic moments. Better is Suleka Mathew, who seems too young to be playing Nuru, though she at least gets to play a more complete character arc from a kvetching harpy to supportive mother. As Giles, Kristen Holden-Reid does what he can with a rather bland part. Playing the impossible role of Cary Grant, Kyle MacLachlan is actually quite good if you can get past the fact that Grant is unplayable without a certain sense of parody and impersonation. Aided by a series of wardrobe changes true to Grant's most famous films, MacLachlan actually get the voice down right and certainly has the requisite square jaw, but I wonder if his obtrusive phantom presence should have been supplanted by computer animation or even a voice-over to convey his character's purpose. Brian George, familiar Seinfeld player Babu Bhatt, as Uncle Hassan and Verna Sood as Aunt Dolly provide expert comic support. In spite of the creativity in adapting familiar movie concepts, overall the film feels relatively tepid.