But if you take it for what it is - a gentle, fairly low-key comedy / drama - then you'll enjoy it.

The acting was over the top in places, but so what, isn't that what comedy's about? I thought the girl who played the central character, Meena, did a great job. And I thought the social issues covered by the film - the difficulties faced by a young girl, growing up feeling "different" - were handled really sensitively.

It wasn't laugh-out-loud funny, but it did have a few funny moments and I really warmed to the characters.

I don't know where the "politically correct rubbish" comments come from. I can only wonder why that reviewer watched the DVD in the first place.

Ignore the reviews - give it a chance & judge for yourself
Review date: 2004-09-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film clearly provokes strong reactions - from very bad to very good. Well, put me in the 'good' category.
Having lived in the 'Black Country' myself, only a couple of miles from Meera Syal (didn't know her, unfortunately), this film captures the area & the times (early 70s) perfectly - even the accents are right for once.
If you liked Bend it like Beckham or East is East, you'll definitely like this. Chandeep Uppal as Meena is a revelation - just look at her facial expressions.
Give it a try. Just sit back & enjoy the realistic recreation of a working class area in the 70s (warts & all). I dare you not to laugh at the humour, be moved by the emotions & sing along to the soundtrack (even Chicory Tip!!!)

funny,emotional,true-to-life flick
Review date: 2004-06-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

this film is based around 12-year-old Meena -she tells the story through the vid.its 1972 and meena feels she should be out in the real world,having fun,not stuck in the sleepy villiage of tollington-its so funny to see how her imagination runs riot.however,shes on the edge of her teen years and all the troubles of life kick in .then the beautiful anita arrives.they develope a great bond-but anitas a "bad gal" and not like a friend for real. meena faces more trouble-tragic trouble.she expresses herself to veiwers and pours her feelings out. even when saves anita from drowning in a lake,she doesent seem to want to know her seem to want to know her-and she falls pregnant.an adventurous flick based on a true story filled with laughs and tears.

Excellent book, shame about the film
Review date: 2003-09-01 Rating: 2 out of 10

I have just finished reading 'Anita and Me' by Meera Syal and thought it was an excellent book with some great characterisation, particularly the character of Anita. So the next day I went to the video shop, eager to see the film of the book. What a disappointment. It didn't stick to the book in many crucial places - well, this much is true of most films-of-the-book - but it was badly acted by the two main characters. The girl who played Meena was a bad actress who didn't have much emotion in her voice, and the girl who played Anita was similarly bad and spoke so indistinctly that I missed a lot of what she said - and it had nothing to do with the Tollington accent. The character of Anita is so central to the book, and the actress who played her was so weak, and the film deviated from the book such that it was all a wasted effort. I was so disappointed, especially as there were some other great actors playing other roles. It wouldn't have been difficult to stick to the book more. It was such a strong book and such a weak film. A real disappointment and a missed opportunity.

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