Polite Society (2023)

Manzoor's debut is a delightful mash-up of British comedy and genre-bending action that celebrates sisterhood and ambition. It excels through the leads' chemistry and inventive stunt work, though the second-half thriller turn is slightly uneven.

Nida Manzoor’s riotously funny and action-packed film is a bold feature debut that defies categorization, at its core about the power of supportive sisters while critiquing cultural, generational, and gendered expectations amid high kicks and punches. It is an action comedy in the style of Edgar Wright mixed with cross-cultural commentary, sibling dynamics, and Jane Austen-style defiance, but most importantly a damn good time at the movies.

Sixteen-year-old Ria doesn't want her older sister to get married, and she'll go to extreme lengths to keep the ceremony from happening in Nida Manzoor’s 'Scott Pilgrim'-esque Sundance sensation. Writer-director Nida Manzoor’s rowdy feature debut channels everything from Sergio Leone to “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” in its wild and frequently outrageous route to sparing Lena the indignity of an (almost) arranged marriage.

The critic calls the film a completely delightful debut with in-your-face comedy about crane-kicking traditional mores, highlighting South Asian Scott Pilgrim energy that is heaps of fun. Martial arts combatting marital annihilation makes for a winning combination.

It’s a sisterhood of the traveling fists and feet in Nida Manzoor’s rowdy and uplifting action-comedy, a movie with a lot of fight in it literally and figuratively in advocating for centering more young women in a genre typically dominated by men. British writer-director Manzoor slams together a tangy spice mix of girl power, family drama and freaky evil into one colorfully funny good time, with music cues adding raucous punch to a badass party.

The critic finds it an effervescent and unpredictable blend of kick-ass action and comic capers from the We Are Lady Parts creator, with slick martial arts set pieces and jokes that land squarely. The unreliable first-person perspective from the sparky heroine keeps viewers guessing.

A wildly charming action comedy with high-energy capers and sibling bonds at its heart, boosted by inventive genre-mashing and strong performances. It stumbles only with an over-ambitious late social-thriller swerve.

The critic describes a lively debut that is west London's answer to Everything Everywhere All at Once, with bundles of fun and energetic filmmaking, though it bites off more than it can chew with too many styles. Manzoor is announced as an exciting filmmaker to watch.

The critic calls it a riotous action-comedy and amusing genre mashup that radiates fizzy delight and celebrates sisterhood and individuality in a breezy good time. It is relentlessly carefree and sometimes feels insubstantial, but has such sunniness that it is hard to begrudge.

The critic praises Nida Manzoor's panache in choreographing action sequences and the film's anarchic sense of fun in a genre-jumping debut that challenges expectations about British Asian women. Some elements feel worn or diluted compared to other recent action films.

The critic calls it an exuberant action-comedy that understands sibling bonds and delivers confident punches and punchlines, anchored by charismatic leads and smart genre blending.

The critic praises Nida Manzoor’s debut feature as a fun, energetic action comedy and pointed satire of the marriage market that delivers laughs through inventive fight scenes. It singles out the lead performance and stunt work by Priya Kansara for particular praise, comparing her to a young Jackie Chan.

The critic finds the film raucous and audacious, praising its energetic debut from Nida Manzoor and the standout physical performance of lead Priya Kansara.

This exuberant genre mash-up borrows from everything—westerns, musicals, heist capers, horror, Jane Austen and James Bond—to tell the story of two sisters in an enclave of well-to-do Muslim Londoners. It is a delight that builds writer-director Nida Manzoor into a promising new filmmaker impatient to evolve cultural representation into crowd-pleasing candy.

The review finds the film entertaining but a little grating due to its hyperactive style and overstimulated energy. It praises the easygoing chemistry between the two lead sisters while noting the film’s self-referential, movie-mashing approach.

The critic sees the film as a fun but ultimately unsatisfying mix of family dramedy and martial-arts action, praising the lead performance but noting it lacks full commitment to its genre swings.

The critic praises the film's unbridled talent and verve, calling it a treasure with gleeful invention and specific yet widely enjoyable storytelling. They single out the confident direction and performances, especially the chemistry and inventive action sequences.

The critic highlights the film's playful energy, humor, and charming tale of sisterly love, noting the heightened action in service of comedy and strong performances. They single out the fun, personality-driven narrative.

The critic praises the film's heartfelt and humorous action-comedy blend, highlighting the strong sisterly bond and energetic fight sequences. They single out Priya Kansara's star-making performance for praise, while noting some loss of momentum in the conclusion.

The critic praises the film's energetic blend of action and comedy, centered on sisterly bonds and visual invention, but notes it struggles to maintain energy in the finale.

The film is a fun story exploring cultural norms and the balance between tradition and modernism in Pakistani families, critiquing them without condemnation. It features inventive storytelling, a strong cast especially the villain, and is worth seeing for laughs despite some narrative issues.

The review lauds the energetic pastiche and how it captures teenage angst through over-the-top action and comedy. It praises the cast, especially Nimra Bucha's scene-stealing turn, but notes some repetitiveness and limitations in visual ambition.

Manzoor’s boisterous coming-of-age action-adventure is a shrewdly funny and wonderful celebration of sisterhood with an unapologetic feminist spirit. It stands out for its superbly choreographed fight sequences, agile camerawork, and fresh take on Muslim family dynamics without clichés.