Reel Critics
Allen MacDonald
“Monsoon Wedding” is the kind of viewing experience I hope for every
time the lights dim in a movie theater: a refreshing and true cinematic
achievement.
Director Mira Nair has constructed an insightful and textured
exploration of family, culture and love. It never steps wrong during its
two-hour running time. Unlike most Hollywood-factory products where you
can see the plot machine churning, “Monsoon Wedding’s” narrative flows
organically. The characters leap from the screen, alive with the rich,
nuanced details of human interaction. This movie surprised me at every
turn and continuously reversed my expectations.
Taking place in contemporary India, “Monsoon Wedding” depicts the
nerve-rattled days leading up to the arranged marriage of one family’s
daughter. It is a time for celebration and joy, but also of personal
reflection and troubled cash flow.
We follow a large ensemble of interconnected characters. At the center
is the bride-to-be, whose anxiety about marrying a stranger is enhanced
by lingering feelings for the married TV-personality she has recently
broken free of; two young people who are usually ignored romantically
take notice of each other and engage in a slow, sweet mating dance; a
cousin of the bride comes to grips with the reasons she has never allowed
herself to fall in love. These are but a few of the threads weaved into
the sensual fabric of this film.
What is so intriguing is the way Nair comments on the cultural issues
“Monsoon Wedding” raises. It could have been an angry indictment of
arranged marriages, but instead, it views them as an alternative, albeit
more traditional, route to happiness. One couple falls in love all by
themselves, the other is orchestrated by the father and starts off shaky;
but the bride and groom establish a bond of trust through shared honesty
and soon also find themselves in love. No matter how they came to be,
both couples choose to be together, both require an element of risk.
Another well-developed aspect of “Monsoon Wedding” is the way in which
the modern world has leaked into the older Indian culture -- the bride
sleeps with an issue of Cosmopolitan wedged under her arm, cell phones
often interrupt the wedding festivities, but ultimately it’s possible for
the old world to coexist with the new. This family is liberated, not
constrained, by tradition. Healthy sexuality is seen as a sign of
confidence rather than a hindrance. Nair is even brave enough to explore
a darker question that defines the limit of family loyalty and
forgiveness.
This movie is complex, beautiful, flawless -- a rare treat. It is one
of the best movies of the year. See it. Go now.
*Allen MacDonald amacdonald@afifellows.org
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