West is West

[raj101]

We arrived at the Empire Leicester Square at 9.45am and already there was a queue! This led me to believe it would be shown in the big screen 1 and thankfully I was right and they also opened the door pretty quickly and let everyone in.

The film was ok but not really my thing although I laughed a couple of times. The people around me (mostly the target audience I guess) liked it a lot though, I have never heard so much chatting and laughing. Pretty disruptive actually, as the people in the row in front of us shifted themselves constantly too. They also had a mobile phone each which they couldn't put away until the start of the film.

Honestly, there was some serious mobile phone-itis displayed this morning. For God's sake, control your addiction, people. You're only happy if you are online until a second before the film and then you have to check every half hour that the world hasn't bypassed you since you were in the screening?

And can someone tell me why all Pakistani people apparently go back to Pakistan to marry even if they have never lived there, talk broad Manchester accent and are going back to live in England? And are all marriages agreed on the basis of "I have seen you for 30 seconds and like you because you look like Nana Mouskouri?" Not that I mind, I just don't understand it. It'd be like me going to Germany to look for a Joseph Fiennes-lookalike, then shipping him back over.

6.5/10

its right that you dont understand it, since like Sajid and Tariq you dont have a cultural history of arranged marriages amongst your colleagues. The word marriage = arranged marriage, or as natural as women having children in their culture.

(i dont understand it either...although if someone could arrange a bollywood actress like lara dutta or priyanka chopra then i'll defintely understand it sharpish ...ooogie.... )

[LiteupLee]

Saw this today and after reading other posts on here, am beginning to think maybe its better to have not watched East is East first?? I enjoyed this more than I thought I would have done, but having only seen bits and bobs of East is East, had nothing to compare it to

[aruif]

Are we to believe that Maneer and his wife will both live happily ever after because they're both English-born Pakistanis? It just doesn't sit well with me.

Ah but you forget that she looks like Nana Mouskouri so that surely implies lasting happiness, at least for Maneer. But yes, I know what you mean. It's like they desperately needed something funny and happy in the film, so they chose a match-making plus marriage for it.

Personally i thought it meant that he could have found happiness at home and that it was kind of ironic they both went all that way looking for marraige. i also thought it showed it was more a marraige based on mutual attraction rather than "you'll do because you're single" and of course a cultural understanding of both english and pakistani cultures would, in my mind, make it easier for them both.

but hey, stuff like that is open for interpretation

[havingascreen]

Are we to believe that Maneer and his wife will both live happily ever after because they're both English-born Pakistanis? It just doesn't sit well with me.

Ah but you forget that she looks like Nana Mouskouri so that surely implies lasting happiness, at least for Maneer. But yes, I know what you mean. It's like they desperately needed something funny and happy in the film, so they chose a match-making plus marriage for it.

Personally i thought it meant that he could have found happiness at home and that it was kind of ironic they both went all that way looking for marraige. i also thought it showed it was more a marraige based on mutual attraction rather than "you'll do because you're single" and of course a cultural understanding of both english and pakistani cultures would, in my mind, make it easier for them both.

but hey, stuff like that is open for interpretation

I agree with Raj101 and above. The film gives you a real insight into how a muslim culture works, thats the beauty of it. It offers no neat tidy ending and leaves it open for the watcher to ponder, discuss and debate.......on places like this forum

[alythonian]

I saw this in Aberdeen which was only 40% full until the film started and then everyone came in and took us up to about 80% full!

I really enjoyed east is East so was looking forward to this.

I was disappointed, not by the film itself which was good but by my anticipation that this was going to be a comedy!

It wasn't what I'd prepared myself for and folks may enjoy it more not having seen the first film?

6/10

[thumper]

Saw this at Leicester Square at the Empire during the weekend. (Think I spotted Beate leaving the showing too!)

It started late which also happended at Toy Story 3 which can be annoying but generally enjoyed the film, wasnt as good as East is East but I still enjoyed it. cant believe its been 11 years since the original and the characters dont seem to have aged that much

[h3r013]

I’m glad I woke up to watch this Sunday morning, I found it quite funny and liked it a bit better than East is East. Screen 1 at the Empire was a nice venue to watch a free film considering their prices.

[weliveandbreathewords]

forgot to post about this on sunday,
generally not my sort of thing, didnt quite see the appeal of it but thought id give it a go, and i guess it doessnt help that i havent seen east is east!
didnt really enjoy it too much, but was watchable and a good insight into the culture, even if i didnt completely understand it!
5/10

[a_person]

I agree with Raj101 and above. The film gives you a real insight into how a muslim culture works, thats the beauty of it. It offers no neat tidy ending and leaves it open for the watcher to ponder, discuss and debate.......on places like this forum

Actually, I don't think it does give you an insight into how "Muslim culture" works. It's abit too overrated. Muslims come from many different cultures (whether it be South Asian, European, Middle Eastern etc) and have different marriage practices dependant on their culture so "West is West" only gives an insight into Pakistani Muslim practices (which is not the same for other South Asians although may have similar practices). Even then, I don't think it's an accurate description of arranged marriages within the Pakistani community today - it would have perhaps been abit more relevant a couple of decades or so ago (which is the time it is set in) but times have changed...

[a_person]

And can someone tell me why all Pakistani people apparently go back to Pakistan to marry even if they have never lived there

In the time it was set in, I'd say it was probably custom to do so. They don't all go back to Pakistan. Infact, it's becoming less common these days since most want to marry similar minded people from here. Some do go to Pakistan to get married (out of choice (or sometimes forced)) for various reasons but certainly not all. It's actually the same as a grown Pakistani woman coming to the UK on a work visa/student visa and marrying her - only she's saved you your flight cost! I think the issue is more about the cultural values that a Pakistani girl holds rather than a British born Pakistani girl.

talk broad Manchester accent and are going back to live in England?

I think you'd find the London Borough of Newham, London Borough of Redbridge and the London Borough of Waltham Forest have a rather large Pakistani community whom I can guarantee will not have a broad Manchester accent!!

And are all marriages agreed on the basis of "I have seen you for 30 seconds and like you because you look like Nana Mouskouri?"

The answer is no but I would think that would depend on each person's cultural values and what that means to them. I would think only a few marriages these days would be "I have seen you for 30 seconds." These days arranged marriages are referring more to a couple being introduced by their parents/family, however allowing the couple to get to know each other before committing. This would not have been the case 30 years ago though - in which case "I saw you for 30 seconds and will now marry you" was alot more common...