I have yet to read the book but the film was simply fantastic. The characters really capture the kaleidoscope of humanity: vulnerability, family, love, hate, loneliness, happiness, hope, despair. If the movie is any reflection of the novel, Levy has created simply beautiful characters.
There were several poignant moments for me. The most poignant were Hortense and Queenie's separate and confused encounters with Gilbert, both mistaking him for a man they loved. It demonstrated to me, powerfully, the universality of love and longing, across race, continents, upbringing.
The character Michael was also fascinating in the way that he was more a shadow than a man. His memory weaves through the film yet he never really exists, permanently, for anyone.
Perhaps my favorite characters were Gilbert and Queenie. Both overcame the hatred of their surroundings to accept one another as individuals. Queenie reminded me so much of people I know from Northern England. Her fearlessness and boldness, while stereotyping, hold some truth regarding the independent spirit of Yorkshire.
I encourage you to watch this film and read the book. It's an incredible reflection of multicultural societies like the UK. Whenever I am in the UK, I always sense a certain immigrant and multicultural spirit that I don't really get anywhere else. This could be more of a reflection on my personal interactions but I believe this film does articulate such a spirit and provides a powerful rejoinder to multiculturalism's critics and to the children of immigrant communities who have lost their sense of identity and history.
Interesting reading:
Lords of the Realm, Christoper M. Davidson, Foreign Policy.
Rage, Rap and Revolution: Inside the Arab Youth Quake, Bobby Ghosh, Time.
The Misleading Metaphor of Decline, Joseph Nye, the Wall Street Journal.
