In this course, we strive to comprehend the complex relationships between the people of the five boroughs of New York City and the various cultures that reside in its depths. We have looked at and even visited certain neighborhoods of New York City, as well as talked with their respective residents. After experiencing all the different kinds of work in Peopling of New York City, we are now in a position where we can contextualize creative works and businesses in order to better understand our class’s themes of immigration, identity, and, of course, food. For this purpose, I viewed Man Push Cart, a 2005 American independent film directed, produced, and written by Ramin Bahrani.
Man Push Cart tells the story of a former Pakistani rock star turned immigrant pushcart owner, trying to adjust to his new “New York City” life. During his work days, Ahmad (Ahmad Razvi) attends to normal in-a-rush New Yorkers, selling them coffee, juice, bagels, and sweet rolls, among other morning treats. During his work nights, however, he heightens his income by selling bootleg DVDs of pornographic movies. At the start of the film, it is established that Ahmad wants to be able to raise enough money to get his own place and hopefully reunite with his estranged son: Ahmad’s wife is dead, and his in-laws won’t allow him to see his son. Though the odds are against him, he soon forms a friendship with fellow immigrant Mohammed (Charles Daniel Sandoval), a generous yet condescending countryman who readily takes the tenderfoot New Yorker under his “omniscient” wing. He remembers Ahmed’s former rock star life (“the Bono of Lahore”) in Pakistan, so he decides to give Ahmed some additional work in decorating his apartment. Meanwhile, Spanish immigrant Noemi (Leticia Dolera) works at a nearby newsstand, finding herself warming up to the troubled former rock-star’s shy nature. As Ahmad, Mohammed, and Noemi gradually begin to socialize together, a tragedy in Ahmad’s past soon prompts the struggling New York newcomer to question the true nature of his current relationships.
There is a lot to be said about a movie of such caliber as Man Push Cart. Its actors are impeccable, the direction and cinematography are absolutely brilliant, and the music choices will touch your soul. The movie’s title is just as wonderfully understated as its content – yes, a man actually does push a cart throughout the film; however, it is the history behind his cart pushing that makes the character of Ahmad such an interesting protagonist. We can only imagine an immigrant’s struggle, but, at its surface, it is one that is notably relatable: being the little fish of the big pond, unfamiliar with your surroundings and lost in its residents’ neighborhood familiarity. Ahmad had a very good life in Pakistan, living the rock star life as “the Bono of Lahore,” even though he only had one hit record in 1995. Along with many other unanswered questions of the film, we never really find out what prompted Ahmad to immigrate to America, but I guess going into that backstory would imply that this is a “conventional” film, which it most certainly is not. Rather than an overdone approach of going into one’s history – flashing back and forth between the present, past, and future – Man Push Cart utilizes only its present reality for exploration. As for the actual cinematography of the piece, it used a “concealed camera” approach: a lot of long-distance shots, angles chosen as if filmed in secret, and a choppy editing style that ironically made the film more fluid and personal. There’s one scene in particular that particularly highlights this, when Ahmad pitches his bootleg pornos to two unknown consumers. This scene is filmed from far away, and was so alarmingly spontaneous that it seemed like I was watching MTV’s “Punk’d” or “Candid Camera.” As this film was presented in a documentary-like kind of format, I have to compliment the acting of Razvi, Dolera, and Sandoval, for having such genuine deliveries of their characters that furthered the film in its documentarian approach. I could feel Ahmad’s pain and struggle in the film’s entirety, and cringed whenever he would experience any level of heartbreak: not being able to see his son, the loss of his push cart, and his internal struggle with his feelings for Noemi. Man Push Cart offers a simplistic view of a complicated situation; it is successful in its artistic goals, in Tumblr terms, cause only the largest amount of “feels.”
As per this course, I feel as if this film does an amazing job of exploring how Ahmad’s identity is formed through his immigration to America, the livelihood of his pushcart (food), and his relationships within the confines of New York City. Right at the beginning of the film, Ahmad is met with an all-too-familiar problem: having to start back at square one. Many immigrants come to America with only hope in their pockets, hoping to be able to make a living and experience opportunity that could only be attained in this country: at least, in their minds. Ahmad uses food in order to relate and socialize with the residents of New York city, hoping to establish some sense of familiarity in this unfamiliar world.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
