简介：Anita&MetellsthetaleofMeenaKumar,atwelve-year-oldgirlwhoisdiscoveringlifeinawholenewlight.SheliveswithherparentsinasmallminingtowncalledTollington,intheBlackCountryofEnglandinthe1970's.Sheisforeverdreamingofalifeotherthanherown,somethingthatherparentscan'tunderstand.TheybelievethatsheshouldbestudyinghardandlearningaboutherAsianheritage.ButMeenawantstobeblondeandstylish,andlookstoherdiaryasheronlyescapefromtheboredomofdailylife.ButshesuddenlyfindsherselfentrancedwhentheRutterfamilybecomehernewneighbours.They'reloudandbrash,andMeenaisdrawntoeldestdaughterAnita.She'sfourteen,blonde,confidentandoutspoken,andMeenaworshipsher.Theyarecompleteopposites,buttheyformasurprisingfriendship.Anitaandsomeofthelocalgirlshaveagang,andMeenaisallowedtojoin.Sheisnaturallythrilled,andtheyconveneinadeninasprawlingwoodthatsupposedlybelongstoaYeti.There,theyreadJackiemagazine,painttheirtoenailsanddreamofwhatlifewillbelikewhentheygrowup.ButAnitaisolder,anddesiresboysandlifeinthefastlane,andsoonfindsthosepastimesmoreinterestingthanMeena.Meanwhile,Meena'sparentsarefacingthebruntofracism,andgetworriedthatMeenawillgoofftherails.TheyultimatelyforbidMeenafromsocialisingwithAnita,andtryandimmerseherinmoreworthyactivities.Theyslowlydriftapart,butMeenasoondiscoverswhatAnitahasbeendoingsince,andthingsbecomeverytense.Whatcouldhavebeenalifelongfriendshipmaysoonturnnasty,andtherearemanyshockingthingsyettocome. AftermuchanticipationofAnita&Mebeingabrilliantfilm,itendedupbeingdisappointinglyaverage.Itwasn'tadismalexperience,andthereweremanymomentstobesavoured,butit'snoclassic.SincethiswasanadaptationofMeeraSyal'scelebratednovel,itshouldhavebeensensational.Nottobe,I'mafraid.TheonebigproblemIdidhavewiththefilmwashow,inaway,amateurishitallwas.Thesentimentandspiritofwhatcouldhavebeenatouchingstorywaslostbynumerouspoorfactors.Theperformanceswereamixedbag,rangingfromthewonderfultotheabysmal.ChandeepUppaldoesn'tmakeagreatimpressionasMeena.Sincehercharacterhasthetaskofcarryingthefilmandbringingusintoherworld,therehastobealevelofsophistication,regardlessofwhethershemaybetwelveoreighty.Uppal'snarrationismonotonousanddreary,andthere'sbarelyanyemotiontobeseenonherfacethroughout.AnnaBrewstermanagestofareworseasAnita.It'shardtotakethatshehasenamouredMeena,sincesheisnothingbutwoodenatalltimes.Sincetheyarethecentralcharacters,theyneedtobeinteresting,yetturnouttobeanythingbut.Thesupportingcast,incontrast,areexcellent,butnotgivennearlyenoughtimetoshine.SanjeevBhaskarandAyeshaDharkerareeffectiveasMeena'sparents,MaxBeesleymakesabriefbutamusingappearanceasalocalrocker,andMeeraSyalandOmidDjaliliarehilariousasMeena'soverbearingauntanduncle.Butthebestperformances,naturally,comefromKathyBurkeandLynnRedgrave.Burke'sappearanceisfleeting,butlightsupthewholeaffairasAnita'sacid-tonguedmother.Redgraveisalsosumptuousasthelocalshopkeeper,whodespisesthereverend'sattemptstosetupacharityfundforbabiesinAfricaanddelightsinshowingMeenapostcardsfromherdaughter'stravels.Whilstthepieceissetintheearly'70's,itisonlyfittingthatthereshouldbeanappropriatesoundtrack.Eventhoughthechosensongsaregood,theybecomeunbearableattimes.Theycloudovertherestofthefilm,andaretotallyoutofplaceattimes.Thedirectionisfine,ifnotperfect,andoverall,Anita&Meendsupbeingapassablesliceofentertainment.It'sashamereally,asitcouldhavebeensomuchmore.Whilethishasn'tbeenthebiggestdisappointmentI'vehadregardingafilmthisyear,it'sstillnotamemorableone.Anicefilm,butnotspectacular.…