Anita & Me (2002) Reviews

• Hilarious, moving, brilliant.

  haroldschris2002-11-17

  The story of a young Asian girl growing up in Britain, Anita and Me will be bracketed with Bend It Like Beckham but is far superior. It's as brilliantly-scripted as About A Boy or Bridget Jones, without any of the advantages that those movies had in terms of budget, glamour and style. Particularly surprising and welcome was the fact that the film didn't feel obliged to smooth out the rough edges, for example by making Anita worthy of Meena's worship. It's this surprising integrity that makes an ostensibly lightweight film into something more substantial. It works on every level and is highly recommended.

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• Moving coming of age comedy

  Chris_Docker2002-11-24

  I thought this was going to be a re-run of yet another East meets West type movie but I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. Based on a novel by Meera Syal who also writes the film's screenplay, it follows the funny but often very moving coming-of-age of Meena, an above-average intelligence girl of Indian family living in a small East Midlands village. She teams up with Anita, the local (white) glam girl tear-away and the movie charts their firm friendship as they struggle individually with adolescence, family difficulties and the racism of peers. This is a wonderful and quite uplifting movie.

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• Give it some more screen space

  m_stone2002-11-28

  I went to see this movie because it wasn't Harry Potter or Bond, and I felt I should support the currently subdued British Film industry, but was very glad that I had. One of the best films I've seen so far this year - certainly better than most of the blockbusters so far. I found it an excellent film with a nice blend of pathos and belly laughs, the poignant mixed with the comedic. I found Chandeep Uppal, as the lead, Meena, gave an excellent performance and deserves to go onto other things. Many stalwarts of British comedy; Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Kathy Burke, Mark Williams ... also gave solid performances. Of course, having grown up in the area it was set in I found myself identifying with the film more - wondering if the Queen Elizabeth Grammar school was the school I attended with the name changed; wondering if my family was ever part of the 70s Walsall tupperware set. My problem came with the screening itself - seeing it on the Wednesday after the Friday release we were on one screen with 2 (evening) screenings on the smallest screen in the cinema (which was incidentally, mainly full). The previous week, I had seen Harry Potter, at about the same time, in the largest screen, and there were probably less than 30 people there, as it had been showing intensively every half an hour (and continues to). Most of the rest of the screens in the cinema were taken up with Bond. Come on British cinemas; push our own homegrown films a bit more - there's a lot of talent there but we've got to be able to see it.

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• Deserves Recognition As An Outstanding Film

  carzy_62008-06-30

  I remember seeing Anita & Me because of the appearance of its likable young star, Chandeep Uppal, on The Frank Skinner Show years ago and I couldn't be happier that I did. It has quickly taken the place of my favourite film and, in my opinion, is one of the best films ever made. The story follows young Meena Kumar, a girl who would be considered very normal by today's standards, and the life she lives with her parents in Tollington, near Birmingham. I was born in 1988 and am male but still found Meena relatable, likable and, it has to be said, cute (and frankly, some of her expressions are priceless). One seemingly ordinary day, her life is turned upside down by Anita Rutter, played by Anna Brewster. Meena is a brilliant character, with a wise head on young shoulders but one who retains a childlike exuberance. An aspiring writer, Meena pines for some of the breaks that white kids managed to get; upon patronisingly being asked "what do you want to be when you grow up", Meena replies "blonde". Anita & Me is filled with witty lines like this throughout. It has to be said, Anita is less brilliant and nowhere near as likable as the wonderful Meena. From the start, Anita is rather hostile or indifferent to all around her. But then again, you get the feeling she isn't meant to be likable. Anita and Meena aren't the only characters, obviously. British viewers will recognise the familiar faces of Meera Syal (whose book was adapted to make the movie), Sanjeev Bhaskar, Omid Djalili and Mark Williams. All give the great performances expected of them although, in my opinion, props still to Chandeep Uppal for her performance as Meena. The film is remarkably bittersweet, dealing with racism, friendship, family, education and religion, always seeming very realistic. Over the course of the film, even minor characters get a great deal of characterisation. Local boy Sam begins to question having non-whites in Tollington, burnt-out rocker Ned finds love and local friendly priest Alan may be more than he's letting on. Out of all the issues Anita & Me deals with, some are bound to click with you. How many of us had local legends involving haunted houses or werewolves or, in Tollington's case, a Yeti? How many of us have thought we're destined for bigger things, such as Meena does when she thinks "maybe I'm here by mistake"? And how many worried about getting hair in strange places? And I'm sure all of us have had at least one complicated friendship. This is where Anita's ambiguity really comes into its own and, as the film goes on, Meena may be more in touch with her Indian heritage than she realised and her parents may be more comfortable with Britain than they thought. It's part of the joy of Anita & Me to see these relationships and scenarios develop. It's also very uplifting to see a film that is so pro-race, pro-gender and pro-religion. There isn't a race particularly portrayed as "the bad guys". With gender, it's surprising and rather satisfying that the fathers are more lenient while the mothers are more strict and, while the worst racist is male, more women are vocal about their intolerance. And, thankfully, religions are portrayed in a positive light whereas so many lesser films may have resorted to petty jabs and insults that are all too common these days. Essentially, Anita & Me is a film I can't recommend highly enough, in the same vein as such indie films as The Breakfast Club, dealing with similar teenage and young adult emotions, and British kitchen sink dramas. It might change your perceptions, make you think or just make you laugh but Anita & Me is that rarest of things; a drama, a comedy and a coming-of-age story all rolled into one.

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• Very Good - come without expectations

  ic22006-03-04

  A very good film. Do not come with preconceptions, it is not East is East, Bend it like Beckham. After all you don't expect all movies written about the US or by Americans to be like How the West was won. It accurately reflects the times and the attitudes. Nice cast, a bit ham acted in places but otherwise good. The two actors who played Meena and Anita were very good. I cannot understand the comments about the midlands accents, they were where they should have been. The with-it vicar was not out of place mind! The sound track was really good and reminded both me and the wife of our teens. OK, a bit pre the Kumars at No 42 but personally I found this to be a very entertaining film. It stands in it's own right.

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