East is East

East is East is coming to the Warwick Arts Centre as part of their Cosy Classic cinema series, with two screenings to choose from: Wednesday 28 October at 14:45 and Thursday 31 October at 20:00. It's a family comedy set in 1970s Salford, and it's one of those films that works as well on a big screen as it does at home.

The story centres on George Khan, played by Om Puri, a proud Pakistani chip shop owner who's trying to raise his children with traditional values in the middle of a working-class northern town. The comedy comes from the clash between his expectations and the reality of his kids growing up in England, and it's described as a fast-paced comedy of mixed-race manners. It's as much about the friction within the family as it is about the world around them.

Om Puri carries the film, and the Salford setting gives it a specific, grounded feel. It's a family comedy, but it doesn't shy away from the tension that comes when a household is pulled in two different directions at once. The whole thing runs an hour and 36 minutes, so it's a relatively tight watch that doesn't overstay its welcome.

One thing to keep in mind before you book: it's rated 15, so it's not for the younger ones in the family. If you're deciding between the two slots, you've got a choice of a midweek matinee on Wednesday afternoon or a proper evening showing on Thursday night. Both are at the Warwick Arts Centre on the University of Warwick campus in Coventry.