So this is a movie based on a true story of a second generation Pakistani-British boy being raised in a London town during an economic downturn and having to deal with coming of age, financial instability when his father gets laid off, changing social roles when his mother becomes the family breadwinner, finding a girlfriend (non-Pakistani) and meeting her family, etc.

There's a lot going on, and all at the same time. A teen-aged boy has pressures of fitting in of his own, but adding everything that is going on with him on top of "normal" things makes it easy to see how he's really ready to explode - or desperately search for a way out of his situation. He finds both in the music of Bruce Springsteen, and the movie shows how he uses Bruce's music to find his way in the world, and how the central themes of the music written for a different culture in a different country apply to him as well. One of the themes of the movie is that one should express themselves honestly, and this is proven true in his response to the music.

There's a lot of good music in the movie, and at times it almost looks like a Bollywood production with everyone suddenly deciding to break out dancing. It really manages to convey good feelings, and even when they are painfully contrived, you just don't care, but are willing to go along with it.

What I like most about these shows that are based on real people is the "shout out" they do to someone who was profoundly influential in their lives. For example, his English teacher, Mrs. Clay, seemed SO helpful and encouraging she seemed to be a character from an afternoon t.v. special, and not a real person - and yet she is, and is the one who convinced the real Javed to pursue writing and poetry.

There is tension in the movie as well, when the families suffer from racial violence and attacks, even from children. You want them to be able to fight back, at the same time realizing why they can't, and how hopeless their situation is. If I remember correctly, IRL the violence against the Pakistanis only stopped when they stopped being passive and started fighting their oppressors, but the film doesn't go in to that, and leaves the oppressive part of their lives unresolved.

One of the main themes of the movie was the boy becoming separate from his family and from being his father's son, and "becoming his own man". I really enjoyed the performance of Javed's father, Malik, played by the actor Kulvinder Ghir. He really seemed like an authentic man and father. Having his father played so believably made Javed's struggle seem real. You could feel what the boy was going through, and feel his desperation in his struggle to become a man.

In the end, though, everything ends well. Javed gives a speech that again seems like it came from a teen drama, but again, you just don't care, you are rooting for him at this point, and overall are just happy he makes up with his family and can pursue his dreams with their blessing. A good movie, and well worth seeing.

 

The way I'd put it is that you know what's going to happen but enjoy it anyway.