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at 08:04:00 pm on March 9, 2007
The letter, however, never arrives, so the baby’s unusual pet name, “Gogol,” after Russian writer Nicolai Gogol, whose stories Ashoke believes once saved his life, winds up on the birth certificate. Gogol’s (Kal Penn) determination to change his “pet name” to the “good name” his parents eventually chose — “Nikhil,” again in honor of Gogol — grows even stronger.
But after attempting to move away and into the lives of his wealthy, waspy girlfriend (Jacinda Barrett) and her parents (Glenne Headly, Daniel Gerroll), “Nikhil” discovers that changing his name and escaping all it represents are two very different things. The struggles of Gogol, in many ways a typical American kid who just longs to be like everyone else, to come to terms with his name and his culture, serve as the narrative framework for the movie.
There are many beautiful moments in the film which leave you mesmerized, moved and captivated with the simple and delicate way Mira Nair has potrayed the story onscreen. The best thing about The Namesake is that although nothing that happens is altogether surprising or shocking, it also feels wholly organic and wonderfully authentic.
