The Namesake is a hard movie to write about because its heart is undeniably in the right place and it's a passionate, well-made film, but does that make it a good one? With so many films being released every week that feel lazily made or designed just for the ancillary markets, can't we just give director Mira Nair a pass for her good intentions? No. That's not the way it works. Laziness has nothing to do with why The Namesake falls short of its aspirations, but it falls short nonetheless. Well-shot and very well-acted, I wanted to fall in love with The Namesake, but to be blunt, I never cared. Writer Sooni Taraporevala has taken the incredibly popular book and perhaps (I've never read it) been too loyal. Episodic tales of a family can work wonders on a page, as the reader has chapter breaks to take them from generation to generation, but mashed together in movie form, the structure falls apart. Episodic books can almost feel like a series of short films, working towards one goal, but episodic films leave the audience cold because you never get to know the characters. Sadly, through no real fault of anyone involved, The Namesake is one of the most episodic films of the year, always leaving its audience at arms length despite what its talented filmmaker and cast do so right.

Part of the problem is that The Namesake has to struggle with two years-long stories of two generations, either of which could be complete films in their own rights. First, we have the story of Ashoke (Irfan Khan) and Ashima Ganguli (Tabu). Calcutta-born, the couple move to New York in the '70s and give birth to a son named Gogol (Kal Penn). The complex issues surrounding culture clashes between immigrant parents and the first generation born stateside are the focus of The Namesake and, as you might imagine, contain enough character development for a successful novel. But those same issues feel cramped into a variety of episodes on film. We watch Gogol grow distant from his parents and try to become more American, even marrying one, and we watch Ashoke and Ashima struggle with different parts of the culture, some of which they see in their own children. It's a rich, deep tapestry for a film, but because of its incredible scope, it's one that Mira Nair can only skim the surface of in a film's running time.

The main reason to see The Namesake, besides some very strong cinematography and a great visual sense by Nair, are the performances. You'll hear dozens of names thrown back and forth this year for supporting acting awards and possible Oscar nominations. Tabu should be in the running. She gives a noble, complex performance and steals most of the film. There's a combination of both hope and fear - two emotions probably felt often about a new world - that Tabu brings Ashima that make The Namesake almost worth recommending, especially for fans of the book.

Another reason you might consider checking out The Namesake on DVD is another excellent home treatment from Fox. The picture and audio are better than average (although I received a screener, not a street copy, so it's sometimes hard to tell on the video front), but it's the collection of special features that will really impress fans of The Namesake. They'll find a commentary by the very intelligent Nair and a great featurette with some of the classes she sat in on at Columbia Film School called "The Anatomy of The Namesake," along with deleted scenes and more interesting behind-the-scenes featurettes. Many studios would have let The Namesake hit DVD bare-bones without many special features, but Fox treats fans of the film very well this season. If your family member liked the book, even with all of its flaws, the DVD of The Namesake might be the perfect holiday choice for you.