Going to the FunAsia theatre to watch the film For Here or To Go? was a unique viewing experience that allowed me to learn a lot about the lives of Indian immigrants. First, I had never been to a movie theatre like FunAsia. I think it’s noteworthy that they were only showing foreign films, primarily Indian films, and that they have showings for films that came out several years ago as well. It is not the type of theatre I would particularly go to because of my taste in films, but enjoyed seeing what people of other cultures are interested in. Since the theatre was so empty for a Monday night showing, I am curious to know how crowded it gets on the weekends.

I looked up a little summary about For Here or To Go? Before arriving to the theatre just to know what the film was about. Although it was not a film I would normally watch on my own, I thought it portrayed a lot of important messages and lessons that I haven’t fully dealt with in my life.

I think the main thing I took away or learned from the film is truly how challenging and frustrating the lives of Indian immigrants in the United States can be. I feel like I was naive to assume that their lives were relatively similar to ours once they entered and had jobs, however this film proves that that’s not always the case. As I watched the film you can see the different struggles that Vivek and other main characters must face in order to stay in the United States, find steady jobs, and avoid conflict with the government. Eddie Cockrell of Variety Magazine says the film does a good job showing “the complexities and paradoxes of the visa application process, the resulting limbo in which many legitimately productive immigrants find themselves, and other frustrating and soul-searching issues facing ethnic communities.” Another key issue these people face in the film is making the decision to move back home to India or to roll the dice in order to make a new life in America.

This film made me more grateful for being born in the United States and for all the amazing things my parents have done for me to help me live the best life as possible. It’s very evident in the film, the sacrifices Indian immigrants went through so that their children can be the fist generation born and raised in America. For example there’s a major scene in which Shveta thanks her father for all the sacrifices he made for their family in order for her to make her life the best it could possibly be. Even then, there was no guarantee that Shveta’s father was going to be successful enough to make his family’s life better in America. The film open up with the line, “Life doesn’t run on guarantees, it runs on hope,” but Nathanael Hood of Audiences Everywhere says that “hope does little to pay the bills, and even less to assuage America’s immigration department.” This shows that even if Indian immigrants were hopeful and worked hard for their children, there was still no way of knowing if they could survive/stay in America. Overall, this was a great film and it really opened up my perspective towards Indian immigrants in America.

Works Cited

Cockrell, Eddie. “Film Review: ‘For Here or to Go?’.” Variety. N.p., 29 Mar. 2017. Web. 03 May 2017.

Hood, Nathanael. “For Here or to Go? Isn’t As Well-Thought As It Is Well-Timed.” Audiences Everywhere. N.p., 31 Mar. 2017. Web. 03 May 2017.