Smashbomb

This is the first book I've read for pleasure since I completed my 3rd year at university. This is the type of book I enjoy and I wasn't disappointed.
The story is written in first person from the point of view of a young English Indian boy. It begins on his wedding day and his nervousness and anger at being forced into an arranged marriage. The author then writes the book in retrospect, and takes the reader back three years. The story explores the difficulty of the protagonist who struggles to adhere to his family's traditional views and religion. He endures years of beatings from his alcoholic father and emotional blackmail from his mother. He is beaten and ridiculed by his older brothers and his intimate narration allows the reader to discover his feelings of 'otherness'amongst his family whilst he attempts to live a normal life as an ordinary English boy. The author explores racism, poverty, domestic violence, neglect and love through the use of bildungsroman which concludes with the protagonist choosing his own path in life. It is by no means a happy ending, but it demonstrates determination and an understanding of a culture that the character is unable to comprehend.
Interesting and easy novel to read.

Kudos

Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Why Did I Get Married? (2007) in Movies

Mar 5, 2020

Why Did I Get Married? (2007)

2007 | Comedy, Drama, Musical

5.0

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

I really enjoyed this film. I actually quite like both of them. I love the cast, I love the diversity of marriages, of stories, of imperfections. I am not married and probably won't be for a while but I do know relationships and they are hard work and I like that this movie shines a light on that. Sometimes I think films do a bad job of showing the real stuff and it can almost seem too picture-perfect. We all know there are though films out there.

I think Sheila is the best character in this film. I think it's so obvious how much she wants her marriage to work and how much of an ass Mike is. I think, at least for me, she held the most heart. She's the one I was rooting for the most. She's the one I felt the most connection to.

Tyler Perry is a questionable filmmaker for me. Some of his films are huge wins for me and others are just gigantic misses. It's very obvious that he does all the writing and directing and sometimes I think that can bite him in the butt. Not this film though. I really love this film and have found myself coming back to it several times over the course of my life.

Kudos

Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Hit & Run (2012) in Movies

Mar 22, 2020

Hit & Run (2012)

2012 | Action, Comedy, Romance

7.0

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

it's almost like dax and kristin love each other or something

I really enjoyed this film. With this whole pandemic thing going on, I've been listening to Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert. He has talked about this film on several occasions and I finally decided to watch it. I am so glad I did.

Not only is the plotline great, the cast is phenomenal, the chemistry is there, but it moves, it takes you with them on the journey and you are never bored. The soundtrack for this film was perfect. It is everything you want from a movie like this and you can feel the love that Dax and Kristin have for each other through the screen. This film was released pre-marriage but when they were dating and I think it just shows. It doesn't feel forced, it doesn't feel fake or uncomfortable, it feels genuine and pure. Especially when you know them as a couple and listened to them talk in interviews and things, I think much more of their actual selves radiate through this film than most would think.

Bradley Cooper, Joy Bryant, and Kristin Chenoweth were the cherries on top of this film, but I think the real great character through this is Tom Arnold's Randy. He was just the true underdog of the film.

I would 1000% recommend this film. Watch!