Conclusion

All four of these films depict the importance of Islamic family values, marriage, shame, honour the struggle that British Muslims endure in trying to preserve Islamic values in their daily British lives, and the difference between moderate and radical Islam. Two of these films, Yasmin and Brick Lane, directly comment on the consequences the September 11 attacks had on the British Muslim community, while The Infidel comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the common perception of Muslims as being anti-Semites. East is East, however, solely portrays British Muslim family life prior to any 21st century Islamic radicalism. With the exception of Mahmud Nasir, the Muslim fathers and husbands suppress their daughters and especially their wives. Marriages in all films are kept very traditional, as both sets of parents must accept and bestow their blessing to the couple. If one set of parents does not approve of the marriage, then the relationship terminates.

Unfortunately, many minority ethnic groups are depicted negatively through exaggerated stereotypes and satire. It is easy to understand why these films have outraged some British Muslims, as all four depict working class, intolerant British Muslims. Mahmud Nasir’s character defies this stereotype, as he seeks to embrace and discover his Jewish ancestry. Similarly, when My Big Fat Greek Wedding premiered a few years ago, I was upset as it portrayed an uneducated, village minded, working class Greek family from the Chicago suburbs. I didn’t want people to that all Greek Americans were like the Portokalos family. “What you mean you don’t eat meat? Ok, I make lamb.” Oh, come on. I don’t know many families that are like that. But just like I realized that this perception of the stereotypical Greek American family makes a blockbuster film, did I realize that many people don’t care to see a non-stereotypical British Muslim family. It is unfortunate that many people will judge certain groups based on what they see in films and television; however, these negative stereotypes of all British Muslims being wife beaters and fundamentalists can be defied if people remember that it is only a movie. Of course movies offer valid cultural critiques and analyses, but the characters and stereotypes they are instructed to perpetuate are exaggerated in many cases.