On M List of Movie Reviews
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Mississippi Masala (1991)
Rate:
7
Viewed:
5/17, 3/22
5/17:
I thought I had completed all pre-2000 Denzel Washington films, but Mississippi Masala somehow
escaped my attention.
It shows you how low-key, nonformulaic independent pictures get no respect.
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love is the only one I've seen that's directed by
Mira Nair, so I had an idea of what to expect in Mississippi Masala. What I didn't predict is how good
and charming it is.
Denzel Washington gives one of the better performances of his career. I wish he would do more of these films,
not the blockbuster stuff; they serve his talent well. However, Mississippi Masala isn't a Denzel
Washington picture. It, primarily the story, is much bigger than him which is about dealing with forced
displacement, light vs. dark racism, prejudices, and cultural differences and traditions.
It's a charming movie, thanks to the mixed cast of Indian and black thespians. They're fun to watch. There are
many standouts including Sarita Choudhury who's perfect with Denzel Washington, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore,
Mohan Agashe, Mohan Gokhale, and Anjan Srivastav who looks like the Indian version of Dennis Farina. Joe
Seneca, Charles Dutton, and Tico Wells are excellent as well.
Listening to the Indians, it's easy to learn a bit about the history of Uganda, an African country that's closely
associated with General Idi Amin. But that's a different story for another time which needs more extensive
treatment than what Mississippi Masala can possibly offer. It has great scenes, especially
with Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury, and lines such as "I'm a black man born and raised in Mississippi.
Ain't a damn thing you can tell me about struggle" and "I know that you and your daughter ain't but a few
shades from this here."
All in all, Mississippi Masala is a rare gem with great chemistry, strong performances, and high level
of realism that's multilayered.
3/22:
I didn't know the backstory of what happened to Indians in Uganda (their descendents emigrated to there to
construct the Uganda Railway during the 1890's) until I read Thomas Sowell's book
Discrimination and Disparities.
Because the Indians achieved so much success, the black residents, with the help of General Idi Amin, got
jealous and therefore decided to kick them out of the country in 1972. As a result, Uganda's economy collapsed
completely. There were 80,000 Indians and Pakistanis, but now, it's about 20% of what it used to be yet
they make up 65% of tax revenue. Many left for the United States, hence the basis of Mississippi Masala.
Because of the mixed cast of Indian and black thespians, it's a unique movie, especially for the early 90's. Of
course, the massive star power that Denzel Washington brings to the table helps a great deal; otherwise, it
would've never seen the light of the day. He and Sarita Choudhury are wonderful together and should be the whole
film. Everything else, unfortunately, isn't important, and the last fifteen minutes is weak.
All in all, Mississippi Masala is worth watching, regardless of the negatives.