The Lunchbox
Seen it?2013 | 104 min | Drama, Romance
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. If you loved Far from Heaven or Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 44 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Hindi, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system (Mumbai's Dabbawallahs) connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Cannes award: Critics' Week (Cannes Film Festival): Grand Rail d'Or (Viewers' Choice Award). Won 3 PGA Awards: Producers Guild Film Awards: Best Debut Director, Producers Guild Film Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role, Producers Guild Film Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Also nominated for 1 BAFTA and 6 more PGA Awards. Plus 14 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$17 million worldwide on a $3 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 328K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Weeknight WatchAnother romance, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Far from Heaven Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed drama.
Save the Last Dance Weeknight WatchAnother drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed drama that fewer people know today.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Ritesh Batra
- Irrfan KhanSaajan Fernandes
- Nimrat KaurIla
- Nawazuddin SiddiquiShaikh
- Lillete DubeyIla's Mother
- Nasir KhanIla's Father
- Bharati AchrekarMrs. Khrishnan
- Nakul VaidRajeev
- Yashvi Punneet NagarYashvi
- Denzil SmithMr. Shroff
- Shruti BapnaMeherunissa