‘Indian Sweets & Spices’ | Movie Review

Starring:

Sophia Ali, Rish Shah, Manisha Koirala

Directed By:

Geeta Malik

Written By:

Geeta Malik

College freshman Alia Kapur was born in a family of wealth, but she’s never really felt like she ‘fits in’. After visiting the local Indian market and meeting its new owner’s attractive son, Alia invites the family to her family’s fancy party. But what she doesn’t realize is she has just reconnected a relationship from the past, and her family will have to confront their past, privilege, and values for Ali to understand her own evolving identity. In this unique coming-of-age film, ‘India Sweets and Spices’ brings in a relatable, fun, and heartfelt story about a family that anyone can relate to.

What makes ‘India Sweets and Spices’ so good is the directing by Geeta Malik. Sure you could simplify the story as just a coming of age movie, but much like ‘Crazy rich Asians’, the story is so intertwined with Indian culture and rich tapestry of characters more than just our lead.

All the performances are strong, the standouts being the daughter and mother’s relationship. It’s the heart of the story and has a terrific payoff. Supporting characters all service the leads well and I felt that almost everyone had fairly well-developed backstories. The cinematography, camerawork, and tone are all on point and you will leave this movie feeling good.

Overall, ‘India Sweets and Spices’ is one of my favorite films of Tribeca this year. It’s a strong coming-of-age story with a strong family message.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Tribeca At Home

For the first time ever, Tribeca Film Festival is hosting #TribecaAtHome where you can experience the festival from the comfort of your couch!

With a robust lineup of exciting new films, shorts, and documentaries planned, #TribecaAtHome will also include an immersive showcase of 14 VR selections, various podcasts, and game programming.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets

Patrick Beatty
Patrick Beatty

Patrick Beatty is a film critic and creator of PatrickBeattyReviews.com and the Gaggle of Geeks Podcast network. Watch him Friday’s on ABC4 Good Things Utah talk about movies and follow all his work in the link below.

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