Critic Reviews

It opens our eyes to a subculture about which most of us know very little, but it is so unsteady in its focus that interest wanes.

It ends up being largely just another story about a rebellious American teenager.

Little girls never stop loving their daddies in Festival of Lights, a drama that never stops loving soap-opera-style melodramatics.

A novel cultural focus, highlighting Guyanese citizens of Indian ancestry, isn't enough to sustain interest in the lifeless film, which will attract few outside the Indo-Guyanese community.

Complex story twists unfold to confusing effect, while characters angrily toss cliches at one another and revelations multiply rather than resolve murky plot developments.

Prasad has a hard time keeping her bulging narrative straight; the twitchy editing, jarring close-ups and bobbing camera only muddle the audience.

Fifteen minutes into Festival of Lights you come to the discouraging realization that you know every infuriating plot beat that will follow.