Review of The Waiting City (2010) by Charlotte G — 23 Apr 2012

Upon arriving in Calcutta from their native Australia, Ben(Joel Edgerton), a musician, and Fiona Simmons(Radha Mitchell), a lawyer, are dismayed to find that her suitcase did not also make the journey. Happily, they find it a lot easier to find their driver, Krishna(Samrat Chakrabarti), and settle in for a wait at their upscale hotel. So before their appointment with their adoption case worker, Didi Chatterjee(Tanushree Shankar), Ben renews an acquaintance with Scarlett(Isabel Lucas), an old backpacking friend, while Fiona manages a case from afar.

On the surface, "The Waiting City" has more than its share of culture clash cliches. However, the movie nicely slows its story down to match the more leisurely rhythms of India which it does a very good of photographing. Fine performances and a darker and nuanced mood definitely work in the movie's favor. It should still be pointed out that having or adopting a baby is not a cure all for a floundering relationship, as it puts much too strain on the poor kid. In any case, it is hard to imagine Ben and Fiona ever having been at the same place in their lives.