82
Metascore
33 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanMoving and marvelous new cross-cultural family saga.
- 91Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerChristian Science MonitorPeter RainerThe Namesake takes in a lot of territory, and at times is too diffuse, too attenuated. But the actors are so expressive that they provide their own continuity. They transport us to a realm of pure feeling.
- Despite being rooted in knotty issues of identity, Lahiri's novel forgoes didacticism in favor of vivid portraiture. Nair and her uniformly superb cast take the same tack: The characters are individuals before they are emblems.
- 88PremiereGlenn KennyPremiereGlenn KennyA thoroughly engaging, terrifically moving family story that's rich in beautifully observed and lovingly conveyed human detail.
- 88USA TodayClaudia PuigUSA TodayClaudia PuigAn engaging and moving film with a universal story about the bonds of family as told through two generations of a Bengali family.
- 80VarietyScott FoundasVarietyScott FoundasA richly compelling story of family and self-discovery.
- 80Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternWall Street JournalJoe MorgensternThis immensely pleasurable film is anything but dry. It's a saga of the immigrant experience that captures the snap, crackle and pop of American life, along with the pounding pulse, emotional reticence, volcanic colors and cherished rituals of Indian culture.
- 75Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversThis is a generational family saga everyone can relate to, and Nair gives it her special magic.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttIt is hard to imagine a better cast or production values so the film should find audiences among sophisticated urban adults.
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceThe Namesake carries faint echoes of the carnal physicality that makes Nair's more lightweight movies so much fun to look at--"Monsoon Wedding" was a dandy piece of froth, and "Vanity Fair" survives only on its looks--but it's a quieter, more mature work.
More from this title
More to explore
Most anticipated Indian movies and shows
Percentage shows amount of top page views.