Chutney Popcorn is an amusing exploration of surrogate motherhood that never lets cross-cultural or lesbian issues overrun what is essentially a family drama. Nisha Ganatra directs, writes and takes the lead role as Reena, a New York artist and lesbian with Indian roots that include an over-indulgent mother and newlywed perfect sister, Sarita. On finding that Sarita is infertile, Reena proposes becoming a surrogate mother, not just to help out her sister but to prove to her mother that she is capable of living up to the traditional values of womanhood. The pregnancy... puts obvious strain on Sarita's marriage and she begins to distance herself from Reena and the unborn baby. At the same time, Reena's live-in girlfriend Lisa (Jill Hennessy) has commitment issues; babies never being part of her life equation. For her first feature film, Ganatra shows much promise with her ability to blend the various issues at the film's heart without becoming over-sentimental about them. Madhur Jaffrey offers a surprisingly sparky comic turn as the doting mother trying to hold on to the values of her homeland. The script is loaded towards the inevitable happy ending, which feels far too easy and upbeat, leaving the audience with unanswered questions about the future of the child. Despite such reservations, Chutney Popcorn is a spicy look into the alternative family that's more substantial than just a simple side dish. --Nikki Disney [show more]
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