--- title: "East Is East: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/east-is-east/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/east-is-east" critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # East Is East (1999): what the critics said Critics' score 67 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics respond warmly to East Is East, praising its sharp family comedy and its treatment of cultural identity in 1970s Britain. The performances draw the strongest agreement, with Om Puri and Linda Bassett repeatedly singled out for giving the family’s arguments warmth and complexity. The favourable reviews also value the profane, slangy dialogue and characters who feel like people rather than representatives of opposing cultures. The disagreement centres on how well the comedy accommodates domestic violence and other serious family conflicts, with responses ranging from enthusiastic to firmly negative. Even some favourable reviews find the humour broad or the theatrical roots visible. IndieWire finds the treatment sweet but shallow, while The AV Club argues that the film softens its conflicts into bland reassurance and cannot adequately handle abuse. For these dissenters, the accessible comedy that others enjoy limits how deeply the film can examine its subject. ## Radio Times — Lorien Haynes Rating 4/5. The critic says this accessible 1970s culture-clash comedy breaks the mould of more serious British Asian films by being funny, charming and refreshing without taking itself too seriously. Family wrangling over arranged marriages drives an engaging story with strong turns from Om Puri and others. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-u7sanx/east-is-east/) ## Sight and Sound — Liese Spencer Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 1999. The critic calls it a funny, feelgood crowd-pleaser that tackles Anglo-Asian culture clash with good-natured gusto and avoids issue-drama pitfalls. She singles out the real, nuanced characters created through slangy dialogue and strong performances, especially from Linda Bassett and Om Puri. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/236) ## Empire — Simon Braund Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic praises the strong ensemble performances, especially Om Puri as the patriarchal George Khan, and the film's focused exploration of cultural identity in a mixed-race family. Some scenes of domestic violence clash with the comic tone and the material's theatrical roots are evident, but overall it is described as funny, astute and quietly moving. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/east-east-review/) ## Time Out — GA Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds it a very decent debut full of neat insights into 1970s Britain and engagingly profane dialogue. It praises the strong central performance from Om Puri while noting the humour is broader than in similar films. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/east-is-east) ## IndieWire Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 14 April 2000. The film is sweet but shallow in its treatment of cultural clashes and family dynamics. It fails to delve deeply despite its promising setup. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-east-is-east-is-sweet-and-shallow-81690/) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2002. The film splits the difference between clashing cultural and tonal elements, smoothing them into a bland, feel-good center. It confronts serious issues of abuse but is not equipped to handle them, preferring cutesy comedy over potency. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/east-is-east-1798196251) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas 14 April 2000. The affectionate comedy traces culture clash in a mixed Pakistani-English family as the father arranges marriages for his sons. It praises the seamless cinematic adaptation of the play and the nuanced performances that balance humor with emotional depth. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-apr-14-ca-19347-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert 21 April 2000. The film portrays a Pakistani immigrant father struggling to impose traditional values on his British-born children in 1971 Manchester. It highlights the rich humor in family conflicts and strong performances, especially by Om Puri and Linda Bassett. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/east-is-east-2000) ## The Guardian — Derek Malcolm 17 May 1999. Festival review. The critic praises the rip-roaring yet carefully structured adaptation of the play, noting its humor without condescension, warmth without sentimentality, and strong characterizations led by Om Puri and Linda Bassett. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian/0,,50977,00.html) ## Variety — Derek Elley 20 May 1999. Festival review. A sprightly, warm and funny ensemble comedy about a traditional Pakistani father losing control over his family in 1970s northern England. It singles out the lively direction, sharp dialogue and big-hearted approach to characters for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/east-is-east-3-1117499769/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic praises the sharp comedy and excellent acting in this portrayal of a multiracial family in 1970s Britain. The film effectively captures the cultural clash between a strict Pakistani father and his English-raised children. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/east-is-east-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/east-is-east.md