It's hard to be down on The Namesake, so sincere is its intent and evident its humanity, but, simply put, when the two-hour adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel ends, this sweet and sad story about an immigrant Indian family feels both too much and not enough. After its more leisurely-paced first half concludes, it tries to squeeze in too much, too hurriedly; and, overall, the movie lacks any particularly strong, focused elements needed to allow it to stand out.

For me, part of the problem with The Namesake  involved not seeing enough of Irfan Khan, whose performance here is the most sympathetic and affecting. He plays the father, Ashoke Ganguli, who, along with his arranged bride, Ashima (Tabu), tries to make it in the land of opportunity. The movie is equally about them and their son, Gogol (Kal Penn), who rebels against his parents' traditional culture but eventually learns to open his eyes further. Although the story's main concern focuses on Gogol's character arc, it was Khan's character, a soft-spoken man of gentle dignity, who really drew me in. He's such a contrast to the usual fathers who are in movies of this kind, so opposite the caricature of the strict, harsh, and hot-tempered patriarchs who terrorize their offspring's non-traditional aspirations.

Alas, the movie eventually shifts more to Gogol's story, told with less care and more predictability, thus generating less interest. Nevertheless, with this project, director Mira Nair consistently maintains her interest in the generational clashes of her culture, and the universality of those experiences. The Namesake stays the course in terms of her thematic interests without making a big noise in the process.

(Released by Fox Searchlight Pictures and rated  "PG-13" for sexuality/nudity, a scene of drug use, some disturbing images and brief language.)

Review also posted at www.windowtothemovies.com.