57
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Los Angeles TimesKimber MyersLos Angeles TimesKimber MyersWarmth and intelligence — and a strong sense of both fun and feminism — make Malik’s film worth a watch, and rising star Ali is worth keeping an eye on as well.
- 70The New York TimesLisa KennedyThe New York TimesLisa KennedyWithout sacrificing comedic buoyancy, Malik and her ensemble make palpable a community that is vibrant and claustrophobic.
- 70TheWrapMonica CastilloTheWrapMonica CastilloIndia Sweets and Spices works so well in part because Ali gives her character the authenticity of someone trying to do the right thing while still figuring out how to handle her privilege and tradition.
- 63Washington PostKristen Page-KirbyWashington PostKristen Page-KirbyWhenever a sometimes-marginalized community gets the chance to tell its story on screen, expectations can be high. India Sweets and Spices, which looks at an Indian American family, takes that expectation and turns it on its head, giving us a more nuanced, complicated, and problematic look at the people it’s about.
- 63Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreIt’s a lot less “spice” and a bit more “sweet” than I’d care for, but Malik has made a warm comedy that introduces, embraces and every-so-gently-chides an under-represented American community in all their glory, their fun and their foibles.
- 60The GuardianCath ClarkeThe GuardianCath ClarkeThe impossibility of ever really knowing our parents is a familiar storyline, but it’s told here with real generosity and warmth. Malik slyly pokes fun, but never meanly. This is satire with the thermostat turned up to 22 degrees.
- 50Screen RantMae AbdulbakiScreen RantMae AbdulbakiIndia Sweets and Spices has a lot of overall great ideas and themes, even if it doesn’t always rise up to the potential of its setup and story.
- 50RogerEbert.comRoxana HadadiRogerEbert.comRoxana HadadiPleasant but unchallenging.
- 40Austin ChronicleJosh KupeckiAustin ChronicleJosh KupeckiWhile India Sweets and Spices adds a veneer of depicting the contemporary Indian American experience, beyond the gorgeous lehengas and saris, past the insert shots of perfectly arrayed cuisine, lies a bland, uninspired story cut from a well worn template.