Exploration of Family Life in British comedy film

On the whole, British comedy films tend to focus much on the family, with films like On the Buses, Bend It Like Beckham, East is East and Three and Out focusing on family values, gender roles and the change in the role of the family through different decades. In many ways, British comedy film has managed to be more controversial , in terms of breaking taboos of interracial marriage , as well as sex, domestic violence and other issues in society.

Throughout the years, British comedy film has shown family life in different ways. With the rise of 'new wave films' in the 1960s and 1970s including ethnic minorities in film, as well as controversial issues . Effectively, films such as On the Buses (1969 -73) focused on a working class British family, with the mother being the matriarch and her son (Stan) being the breadwinner. By focusing on these families, the audience were able to identify with many of the characters, such as (Arthur) who has trouble finding a job.

As well as this, British comedy film has managed to convey the lives of Asian families and ethnic minorities, with East is East (1999) being a prime example. Films like East is East promote and raise awareness of a multicultural society, where people can understand about different cultures and values.

Following the controversial yet successful film , East is East, British directors such as Gurinder Chadha have also been successful in making comedy films, such as Bend it Like Beckham (2002) which revolve around ethnic minorities; with topics such as marriage, murder and careers being raised in films.

Analysis of Bend it Like Beckham (2002)



Bend It like Beckham (2002) revolves around a young Sikh girl Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) who is fanatical about football, and particularly idolises David Beckham due to his football skills. She manages to have a kick about with her male friends in the park and is spotted by Juliette Paxton (Jules) played by (Kiera Knightly) who plays for a local women's team (Hounslow Harriers). Initially , Jess is not permitted to playing sports, as her traditional Punjabi parents want her to go to law school and to learn how to cook Punjabi food so that she can attract a nice Punjabi husband. The film cites around cultural clashes and personal aspirations and shows how the role of women is changing, as Jess aspires to be a footballer, which gives an alternative representation of women as succeeders.

In this trailer, the audience get a chance to learn about different cultures, notably the Indian culture, as the opening of the trailer signifies a blushing Indian bride in a medium shot. This therefore shows how women in the Indian culture are meant to get married, which is often arranged. Though, the comical aspect of the scene, is when the camera man asks the bride to look down and look more sad, which connotes how she is meant to represented as being innocent and shy, while also looking as if she misses her family.

However, the binary opposition of Jess as the tom boyish, carefree women is represented, as she violently punches one of her male friends in the lower region, thus connoting how she wishes to be equal and is given a more subordinated role amongst the male friends, which is quite humorous and identifiable for aspiring female footballers.

In the trailer, the family's naivety and traditional values are signified, as Mrs Bhamra lectures Jess about her sister's marriage, and the fact that football seems to get in the way. In many ways, the parents are stereotyped as being quite strict and ignorant, as they don't want Jess to be a footballer, but an accountant or lawyer, which all Indian parents tend to demand. What's more, the humorous aspects are shown, as Jess does kick abouts with vegetables, which connotes her lack of enthusiasm at cooking and being domesticated.

Though, the film actually challenges the representation of family members, as Jess dreams of being a footballer, whereas her parents want her to be married and have a reputable profession. As wells as this, the mother is represented as being the dominant member in the household, who seemingly controls the family and is constructed as being quite strict and overwhelming, which Indian parents can identify with.

Evidently, the use of the non deigitic opera sound, in conjunction with the medium close up shot of Jess taking a free kick signifies the binary opposition of family values and aspiration, as the surprised facial expression of Jess, connotes how she is torn between being more traditional or being more westernised and more liberal. In conjunction to this, the use of the voiceover ' Bending the rules' connotes rebellion and liberty, as Jess aspires to be a professional footballer, however she has to stand up to her parents. The use of Jess' voice over signifies how she wants to take her chances, rather than doing something that she can do in her everyday life, ' Anyone can cook aloo gobhi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham'. This particular voice over gives a more angry reaction to traditional gender roles, as she, like normal teenage girls would aspire to be different.

As well as Bend it Like Beckham (2002), other more contemporary films have managed to focus on issues such as family life and marriage. Most recently, It's A Wonderful After Life (2010) revolves around arranged marriage and the troubles which face mothers to get thier sons or daughters married

Scene from Its A Wonderful Afterlife (2010)



Analysis from beginning to 2:00

It's A Wondeful Afterlife (2010) is produced by Gurinder Chadha and focuses on ethnic minorities and the concept of marriage. The film itself focuses around a single mother, who has to has to get her daughter married, but is pressurised into finding a sutiable match, as the previous suitors decline her offers. Therefore, she resort to murder in order to find the perfect match for her daughter.

Evidently, the theme of marriage is signified in this scene, as the mother tries to make an alliance for her daughter. The use of the Sikh temple setting connotes how Sikh marriage is significant and is carried out in front of the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy scriptures). The long shot of the protagonist is immediately followed by a cut which signifies two older women who are criticising and expressing thier concerns at the possible match for thier sons. The gestures made by the women are more comical, as they joke about her weight and the fact that she eats too much.

Though, the use of the close up shot of the man's facial expression connotes disgust and annoyance, as the female protagonist shrugs which connotes how she seems to be unable to respond to her mother forcing her to meet potential suitors. In most ways, Roopi is rejected due to her weight, as the over the shoulder shot signifies how the two women are unsatisfied with her and make excuses of her being unsuitable for her son. Though, this scene responds to the fact that Asian mothers seem to forcibly make thier children eat in excess, therefore they are unfit. The sense of futility is signified, as the man seems to be stereotyped as quite laid back and Westernised, as the long shot of him in his modified car shows how he is careless and not entirely perfect.

What's more, the long shot of Roopi and her mother connotes how they are disappointed at being rejected again, as signified through the subtle paralell sound of the guitar . Strangely, the mother at the temple is murdered, as the close up shot of her face with a kebab sheekh lodged in her neck signfies how the murder could have been part of a hate crime. In effect the surprised facial expression of the woman is quite funny, as her murder is unconventional to say the least.

Though, this scene progresses in order to signify the ghosts of previous alliances, as the ghosts appear through the long shot. Funnily enough, the ghosts are signified in a medium shot, as they have been killed in food related incidents. Therefore, the film satirises the fact that Indian cooking, at times is lethal, as the ghosts have been killed in strange yet comical ways.