The story of a struggling rock band, 1992's Wild West suffered comparisons with The Commitments, which was released the year before. There similarities end, however, since the Honky Tonk Cowboys are made up of four Pakistani brothers from the West London suburb of Southall. There's tumbleweed in the street, saloon doors at home and barroom brawls at the Asian Rising Stars Talent Contest. Eldest brother Zaf (Naveen Andrews) looks the part in a ten-gallon hat and fringe jacket, but the mongrel neighbourhood is a long way from the Nashville the brother's dream about.... Dogged by gangland thugs and the well-meant pursuit of traditional values from their poor mother (Lalita Ahmed), they stumble from one danger to another. The worst comes in the form of the beautiful Rifat (Sarita Choudhury), who steals Zaf's heart and the band's hopes of stardom with "Wild West Records". The film was written by then 29-year-old Harwant Bains, who grew up in Southall in a family of Punjabi background. It's clearly a flight of personal fancy rooted in an environment harshly observed. If the petty crime sits uncomfortably with the love story there's always the considerately compiled soundtrack to smooth away the suburb's rough edges. --Paul Tonks [show more]
We will publish your review of Wild West [1992] on DVD within a few days as long as it meets our guidelines.
None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy
