The Namesake (2006)
85%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 4 nominations
An ambitious exploration of the immigrant experience with a talented cast that serves the material well
The Namesake is like a warm hug from your grandma – it’s gentle, evocative, and makes you feel all the feels. Sure, there are some quibbles about the Bengali and cultural accuracy, but who cares when you’re swept up in the emotional journey of the characters? Tabu and Khan give subtle, loving performances that communicate great passion without ever overplaying. It’s a generational drama that will leave you feeling deeply moved and maybe even a little bit nostalgic for your own family’s history. Plus, it’s got Mira Nair’s signature touch of humanity and heart. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to feel all the feels.
Production Company(ies)
Aurum Film Canal+ Polska W F S Walter Film Studio,
Distributor
Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong language and some violence
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 2m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States, India
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 2007 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 27, 2007
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Kal Penn, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, Zuleikha Robinson, Jacinda Barrett, Glenne Headly, directed by Mira Nair, written by Sooni Taraporevala, drama, PG-13, immigrant experience, Bengali American, cultural identity crisis, family, traditions, American culture, sacrifice, opportunities, heritage, box office gross $13.6M, budget, reviewed by Shubhra Gupta, Namrata Joshi, Roxana Hadadi, David Fear, Hank Sartin, Roger Ebert, Yasser Medina, Leigh Paatsch, Felicia Feaster, Kaleem Aftab, Sarah Manvel, emotional, heart-wrenching, beauty, subtlety, exceptional cast, labor of love, India, Indian culture
Worldwide gross: $7,281,450
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $13,573,212
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,859
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,480,176
US/Canada gross: $7,281,450
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $13,573,212
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,520
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,020,015
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,629,552
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,075
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $33,553,456
Production budget ranking: 1,085
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $18,068,536
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$38,048,780
ROI to date (est.): -74%
ROI ranking: 1,826
Tabu – Ashima Ganguli
Irrfan Khan – Ashoke Ganguli
Zuleikha Robinson – Moushumi Mazoomdar
Jacinda Barrett – Maxine
Glenne Headly – Lydia
Director(s)
Mira Nair
Writer(s)
Sooni Taraporevala
Producer(s)
Lydia Dean Pilcher, Mira Nair
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (135) | Top Critics (53) | Fresh (115) | Rotten (20)
Mira Nair turns Jhumpa Lahiri’s gentle, evocative novel The Namesake, into a gentle, evocative film.
June 19, 2019
Shubhra Gupta
The Indian Express
TOP CRITIC
There are bound to be quibbles about whether they get their Bengali right or whether Nair captures the culture and ethos. But it still can’t take much away from this humane, warm and elegantly crafted film.
January 24, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Namrata Joshi
Outlook
TOP CRITIC
The Namesake captures the interior struggle between centuries of history and the appeal of living only in the now, and it’s grippingly beautiful and overwhelmingly moving.
August 23, 2018
Roxana Hadadi
Pajiba
TOP CRITIC
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
David Fear
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Hank Sartin
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
What holds it together are the subtle loving performances by Tabu and Khan, both Bollywoood stars. They never overplay, never spell out what can be said in a glance or a shrug, communicate great passion very quietly.
December 7, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Indian director Mira Nair’s film has noble intentions that become noticeable from the preamble, but to me it seems as a flat and very dull drama about family, immigration, and cultural traditionalism. [Full review in Spanish]
January 6, 2021 | Rating: 4/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
One of those films that easily wins your respect, but struggles to hold your attention.
May 12, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
[Nair’s] film covers so much ground that it’s hard to sustain emotional investment in its characters.
February 3, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Creative Loafing
The Namesake is an unhurried, insightful and deeply moving generational drama that cannot be recommended highly enough.
November 3, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
Since Nair made such a stir with her fresh approach to William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, the fact that she simply translated The Namesake from page to screen proves to be a bit of a letdown.
August 7, 2018
Sarah Manvel
Cinemattraction
Sprawling, uneven, heartfelt
August 27, 2009
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion…
Plot
Maureen is pregnant and her husband Eddie is missing. Nervous, Maureen shares a couple of drinks with neighbor Kiefer, who tries to rape her and then beats her. When Eddie returns and finds his wife bruised, he goes ballistic, shoots a paramedic and is put in a psychiatric institution. Ten years later, Eddie is released and finds that Maureen has divorced him and is remarried with three children, one of whom is his little girl Jeanie. Eddie goes to reclaim his wife.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about The Namesake.
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