CAST: Agam Darshi. Marvin Ishmael, Huse Madhavji, Sandy Sidhu, Stephen Lobo 

DIRECTOR: Agam Darshi

BLUF:

Mona (Agam Darshi), is a struggling Punjabi Canadian writer in her mid-30s who is living at home with her father to take care of him in the last stages of his cancer.  She has no real work & has an affair with a married man. She keeps finding reasons to live in a world she has created on her own.

When her father slips into a coma, Mona begins to crumble emotionally as she recognizes that his death had the possibility of taking away all that she had filled up her life with.

All her successful siblings arrive to bring the stark reality of her irresolute life home.

Rup (Husein Madhavji), Sandy (Sandy Sidhu), and Parm (Stephen Lobo), Mona’s twin brother — come home to see their dad but end up recreating a more meaningful relationship with each other.

THE MEAT AND THE POTATOES:

In its slice of life insight into the Sikh-American immigrant culture, the movie is a poignant portrayal of the behavioral and psychological ramifications of PTSD induced by gender inequality amongst some immigrant families. Often laced with comedy, the individual character arcs of each of the siblings unfold as the unpublished writer sister who had been home taking care of the sick parent is judged for her inability to accomplish the oft-expected South Asian family excellence goals.

IN THE KNOW

The reaction and the character arc of Mona are detailed, logical, and very well developed. She is closest to her twin Parm yet the way their father treated the daughter versus how he treated Parm is deeply etched into the rebellion that Mona has hatched for years.

The reality of the home where the nosy aunt decides that a prayer meeting is more important for her ill brother and the unraveling of the lives of the siblings around that rush of humanity into their home is evidently very suitable as the siblings speak of their past.

Mona’s unexpressed trauma, her loss of identity, the struggle for her to be evident and important by lying, rebelling, and creating scenes is extremely well written. Agam Darshi excels in keeping the story focused on the re-connection between the siblings while the rest of the story moves ahead and we discover that her siblings themselves are not revealing what is going on with them.

The direction keeps the movie funny, tense, real, and warm all at the same time. Some scenes are heartbreaking and you will find yourselves sobbing for Mona and the unresolved childhood trauma inflicted on her by her parent.

The BG score, the actors, the linear storytelling is all very appropriate for this family drama with a soul. As we say, storytelling is important, and telling the story of an immigrant experience makes the people so much more real.

WHAT WE LOVED

Story

Direction

WHAT WE MISSED

Some subplots were open-ended.