Customer Reviews
Fantastic film! Pretty much shows it as it was in the '70s - By: Lancashire Lass, 21 Jun 2008 
Yes, this is a brilliant film. Get it; watch it. Laugh, cringe & feel for the Khan kids.
By the way, Salford is NOT in or part of Manchester; Salford is a city in its own right.
need a laugh - By: S. Mockridge, 25 Mar 2007 this film is such a graet film you find it funny from start to finish. you love alll the family even the nasty but very funny dad,(om puri) who is a great actor there is nothing you wont like about this film ....its set in salford the family run the chip shop & the dad runs their lives but not the way the family want ( but who,s dad does ) apsolute belter of a film
Superb! Hilarious! Entertaining! - By: FAMOUS NAME, 19 Jan 2007 East Is East is nothing less than a masterpiece!
This film is appealing to so many people for so many different reasons. I am someone who is not that keen on modern films - not least because of their violence, crudity & constant flow of unnecessary bad language; however, despite what can only be described as this film's appalllingly frequent & 'filthy' dialogue, it incredibly does not detract from what is otherwise a very sensitive & altogether 'human' story, & indeed contributes to much of the comedy & humour of the movie throughout. Anyone like myself who is old enough to have lived through 1971 will appreciate the sheer mastery at which the cast were able to recreate that particular era to utter perfection.
Unlike so many movies - including great ones, there is no 'pause' within this film where you are bored - not even for a minute whilst awaiting the next entertaining moment; each scene is superb! I've already watched this title six times to date, & will no doubt view it many, many more times to come, & still enjoy it.
Highly recommended to alll - even to those who do not normallly care for bad language, & the odd bit of domestic violence.
Enjoy!
Undoubtedly the worst film I have ever seen - By: Mr. R. P. Chauhan, 27 Mar 2006 
No this film is not life imitating art in the slightest. It's ridden with stereotypical cliche's. All films have characters but this film tries very very hard to be social commentary but fails as an attempt to mock a British subculture. You laugh at the people in this film, so if it was slapstick & intended humour then that would be fine but you're left laughing at social circumstance where people struggle with life. You're laughing at identity & character & you're laughing at people who generallly are having a hard time through life.
It's an awful film alll over. I am sure "some" members of the British Asian audience will laugh at it to distance themselves from obviously non-existent British Asian stereotypes. Delusions. British Audiences will laugh it to mock Asians.
Generallly, others will avoid it & see it for the mess of film making that it is.
Avoid.
East Is East - By: Rich Milligan, 19 Sep 2005 
Set in 1971 in Salford, Manchester, East is East takes a humorous look at life for the Khan family. George Khan is the Pakistani born immigrant who came to Britain in the 30's. We learn he has left his first wife back in Pakistan & has now married an English woman in the shape of Ella. Together they run the local fish & chip shop as well as trying to bring up their large family of 6 sons & a daughter. George is desperately trying to hold on to Pakistani & Muslim traditions. We initiallly meet him on the wedding day of his eldest son. The poor son is petrified at the thought of the arranged marriage, & taking the first look at his bride he bolts from ceremony exclaiming that he "cannot do this". George is mortified, not caring a jot for the feelings of his son, he is only concerned of the shame that this will bring to the Khan family.
Ella, on the other hand, is struggling with trying to not to undermine her husband but at the same time trying to support her numerous off-spring, who alll having been born in Britain, cannot understand why they cannot go to the local disco, study art instead of engineering or must wear a sari on Sunday.
In general the film stays light hearted & provides some incredibly funny moments ranging from slap-stick to double entendre & wit. Some of the gags could be accused of being very stereotypical; we have the Enoch Powell supporting neighbour, the lusty northern lasses who pursue the handsome Khan boys, the eldest son who runs off from his wedding turns up later managing a very camp hat shop along with partner Nigel, but there's no nastiness involved & no-one has cause to take offence.
On the other hand the film does have a darker side which is very shocking when shown alongside the humour. There's some tear-jerking poignancy & some hand to the mouth surprises which raises the film to the level above just being a laugh along comedy. The performances are solid to a man with Om Puri & Linda Bassett leading the way with some fine turns.
The one other bit of fun to have with the film is to try to name alll the other series & soap opera you've now seen the various actors in on television.
