Vejay hangs out with his mate Ali even though his sister and mother disapprove of an Indian being friends with someone from Pakistan. Vejay looks down on their views of "them/us" because he knows that to look on people as different is wrong. However his views are challenged when Ali tells him that his relationship with his white girlfriend has grown into something more serious.
Although you wouldn't know it if you went off the news, racism and divisions are not the sole property of the tattooed, shaven-head white gangs or the curtain-twitching middle-class nimbys who fear reduced property prices but in fact can occasionally, wait for it, exist within ethnic minority groups. I know it is shocking isn't it. That intolerance and bigotry could exist within non-whites! Well it can because it is a human failing, not a western white one and this is what this film looks at. The "The" in the title suggests a specific divide but it could easily have been "a" because it is not about the specifics but about the ability for intolerance to exist where we do views groups differently and in a "them/us" manner. The hypocrisy is seen in Vejay, who claims one thing but only takes a minor scratch to expose his own intolerance. It is pretty well written and makes its point well, although some viewers might be a bit put off by how obvious it is.
The cast don't help that much but do well enough to convince. Kempton is OK but fails to have any internal thoughts towards the end not totally his fault but he could have been more convincing. Kennedy is weaker because his is a one-note character without a great deal of depth to him. Mohan's direction is good though and he stages the conflict between the two men well, although you can tell he is more interested in the issue than the people. Overall though, an interesting film that makes its point in an interesting and engaging fashion.
Although you wouldn't know it if you went off the news, racism and divisions are not the sole property of the tattooed, shaven-head white gangs or the curtain-twitching middle-class nimbys who fear reduced property prices but in fact can occasionally, wait for it, exist within ethnic minority groups. I know it is shocking isn't it. That intolerance and bigotry could exist within non-whites! Well it can because it is a human failing, not a western white one and this is what this film looks at. The "The" in the title suggests a specific divide but it could easily have been "a" because it is not about the specifics but about the ability for intolerance to exist where we do views groups differently and in a "them/us" manner. The hypocrisy is seen in Vejay, who claims one thing but only takes a minor scratch to expose his own intolerance. It is pretty well written and makes its point well, although some viewers might be a bit put off by how obvious it is.
The cast don't help that much but do well enough to convince. Kempton is OK but fails to have any internal thoughts towards the end not totally his fault but he could have been more convincing. Kennedy is weaker because his is a one-note character without a great deal of depth to him. Mohan's direction is good though and he stages the conflict between the two men well, although you can tell he is more interested in the issue than the people. Overall though, an interesting film that makes its point in an interesting and engaging fashion.