Earlier this year I had the opportunity to see The Namesake, a film based on the novel of the same name by Jhumpa Lahiri. I remember seeing the trailer and thinking that it looked really good. As good as it looked, that was not the primary reason that I was interested in seeing it, although a good-looking trailer can be pretty convincing. What actually drew me to the film was one its stars, Kal Penn.

To this point I had only seen Penn in comedies, such as Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Still, Penn has considerable screen charisma and seems to have talent that goes well beyond the goofy shtick that we have become accustomed to. This was an opportunity to see if he did have the range and the ability to carry a dramatic feature. I am happy to report that it worked on the big screen, and still holds up on the small one.

While I went in wanting to see a film featuring Penn at its center, that is not what we get. Instead, director Mira Nair (Mississippi Masala) gives us a film that follows an immigrant Indian family that is attempting to assimilate into a new culture while retaining their identity as Indians, while their children are clearly American first and Indian second. It is a story that brings together themes of assimilation and culture clash along a journey of self-discovery. To that end Kal Penn plays a major part in the story, but he is not the immediate focus.

The Namesake is much more than the story advertised in the trailer. The trailer tells the story of a son rebelling against his family, tradition, and his heritage, while his family struggles to come to grips with the alien culture around them. While this is true, it does not tell the whole story. This is so much more than the story of the son. This is a tale of epic scope told on an intimate level. This is the story of an entire family from the dawn of their union through the trials and tribulations of becoming a genuine family and all of the problems, and joys, that come with it.

The film is not perfect, although in the big picture my complaints are not nearly enough to deter anyone from liking the film. The issues are with the flow; it tends to be a little choppy. The story spans over 25 years in the life of this family and to portray the passage of time is not an easy thing to do. It was likely done the best they could given the source material; the result is very much like watching a book with chapter breaks and they felt a little awkward. It is a minor complaint, but a valid one.