Chutney Popcorn Movie Review

Just the other day I was remarking, "Why aren't there more Indian lesbian surrogate mother comedies!?" Thank God, my prayers are answered with Chutney Popcorn, a curious picture that defies categorization... er, except I think that's what I just did.

An obviously self-indulgent indie project from Nisha Ganatra, who directs, produces, writes, and stars, our heroine Reena finds herself acting as a surrogate mother for her infertile older sister, who is married to a bit of a schlub of a white guy. But what will Reena's girlfriend Lisa (Hennessy) think? You can probably fill in the rest of the movie on your own.

If you can stick with it through this one-note premise, there are some definite funny moments in Chutney Popcorn, though it's doubtful there will be much crossover appeal from the arthouse to your house. Of special note is Hennessy's patient Lisa, who puts up with so much of Reena's shenanigans you can't help but feel sorry for her. Cara Buono is also shamefully underused as a minor character -- and stands out as hilarious whenever she's onscreen.

Altogether, this hodgepodge of genres is passable, but it's nothing to get excited about unless you're really into Indian culture, lesbian culture, or both. And of course, if you're looking for a little something with that really obvious Film School Feeling, you've definitely come to the right place. Let's see what Ganatra can do with a bigger budget and a mandate to stay behind the camera.