ReelBob: ‘Arranged Marriage’ ★½

By Bob Bloom

“Arranged Marriage” is a dark comedy that is more mean-spirited than satiric.

The movie, written and directed by Anoop Rangi, plays into stereotypes about South Asian people, their expectations for their children and how they are perceived by residents of our country.

The movie is heavy-handed, nearly drifting into slasher tropes as it chronicles the travails of Kamali (Megha Sandhu) who objects to an arranged marriage agreed set up by her domineering father to the nerdy son of a prominent engineering family.

People around Kamali, who is a college student, begin dying violently. First, her study partner is killed because he is alone with her late at night in the library. Later, her friend, Henry (John F. Thomas), is beaten to death because he was seen hugging Kamali for support, not in any romantic overture.

Between these two killings, Kamali’s Caucasian boyfriend, Clive (Jordan Williams), visits Kamali’s home to introduce himself to her family. He is respectful and honest, but is beaten and stomped by Kamali’s father, uncle and cousin, when he tells them that he and Kamali are dating.

The movie’s tone is erratic, weaving wobbly between spoofery and violence.

The characters lack depth and are mostly portrayed as one-dimensional caricatures. Kamali’s father is a tyrant, ordering his wife around, forcing her to cook for guests and intimidating them to eat elaborate meals that she is commanded to prepare.

One of the movie’s problems is its presentation of Clive. At first, he appears sympathetic to and protective of Kamali, but as events unfold, he turns out to be a racist and bigot who abandons his supposed love.

“Arranged Marriage” could have been a much sharper movie if Rangi had curbed his ferocity. Rangi may have been aiming for a Bollywood spoof, but instead, he has created a disturbing cultural clash that is more offensive than biting.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

ARRANGED MARRIAGE
1½ stars out of 4
Not rated, violence, disturbing images