Fire

Rating:
Summary: Clarity and depth, but. . .
Review: I bought this DVD because it was on one of those listmania and also I remembered liking "Salaam Bombay" "Home and the World" and "Bandit Queen." But this is really not an Indian movie or a lesbian movie either. A typical Indian movie is like a cheesy Hollywood musical. A Lesbian movie?? Hardly. It isn't about lesbianism because the sister-in-laws were desperate to be loved by someone who's understanding, tender and selfless and they found that in each other without considering that they are about to embark on a lesbian love affair. This is believeable when you see that there is an abyss in their lives that only the other can fill. I think this is more like a sociology film that attempts to show the cultural and moral constraints that are burdened on Indian women and on some level, Indian men. It is a lot to absorb in one film but Deepa Metha did such a great job in keeping the story tight that you never lose interest. It is also clastrophobically filmed in a tight apartment complex, that is both physically and mentally choking. I dropped one star because I think Mehta had a chance to make a stylistic sequence with the two women. Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi are etheral and this fact was not taken advantage of. Other than that, I really like this movie. I do recommend the DVD version because it includes a news footage of a religous cult attacking and smashing a theater in New Delhi showing this film because it did not conform with their dogmatic beliefs. It also includes interviews with the director, the actresses and the cult leader(she's a real Hoot). I think it enhances your appreciation for the movie to learn a little bit about the making of this film and the controversy that it created.