I must admit the first half of this film was wonderful - I thought I was in for a treat. And then came the clichés: the husband calling from the hospital- "Don't worry, I only have a stomach ache" - followed by his death, what I surprise - I didn't see that one coming! The ugly teenager that turns into a hot babe. And then having been told since the start of the film of the importance of Gogol's story 'The Overcoat' what a clever twist to have the son reading this story at the end of the film. Such originality! Then there were the plot absurdities - why doesn't the wife accompany her husband to Cleveland, she never explains. She went with him from India to the USA but she won't go with him from New York to Cleveland. (Surely all this wasn't in the Pullitzer prize winning novel.) The film just became increasingly ridiculous as it went on for its overstretched 2 hours.
This film really was a lot of dross - and a missed opportunity to make a great film. Perhaps Mira Nair should have made a film of Gogol's The Overcoat instead.
This film really was a lot of dross - and a missed opportunity to make a great film. Perhaps Mira Nair should have made a film of Gogol's The Overcoat instead.