Elaine C. Smith Movies

A woman comes to terms with her sexuality while trying to save the family business in this flavorful romantic comedy. Nina Shah (Shelley Conn) is the daughter of an Indian expatriate family who settled in Glasgow and run an Indian restaurant, the New Taj Mahal. While Nina was always close to her father, when he insisted she wed a man she didn't love as part of an arranged marriage, she left Glasgow and began a new life in London. However, word of her father's passing brings her back to Glasgow to look after her mother and help run the New Taj. Nina learns that the restaurant is deep in debt and needs a sharp increase in business if it's to stay open; shortly before his death, her father arranged for the New Taj to take part in a televised cooking competition to find the best Indian food in Glasgow, and so Nina and the restaurant's head chef, Lisa (Laura Fraser), are on the spot to come up with something special. As Nina and Lisa spend many hours in the kitchen together, they begin to develop a personal relationship as spicy as anything on the menu. While Nina tries to decide how to explain her new romance to her family, she finds emotional support from her very out-of-the-closet friend, Bobbi (Ronny Jhutti), and her younger sister, who has developed a passion for Scottish folk dancing. But Nina's effort to save the New Taj may become a grudge match when she learns that her biggest competition comes from a new eatery run by Sanjay (Raji James), the man Nina refused to marry. Nina's Heavenly Delights also stars Art Malik as Sanjay's father. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

British director Coky Giedroyc's sophomore feature outing concerns a pair of working class women in Edinburgh, Scotland. Down-to-earth Ellen (Gina McKee), a noted cartoonist, invites her wacky, outgoing best friend Cora (Helena Bonham Carter) to a post-divorce party. Ellen is recovering from an ill-fated marriage to the rakish Daniel, a compulsive gambler and philanderer. Cora broke up with her love 'em and leave 'em French lover Claude, who left her with a child. Told largely through flashbacks, the film charts the rise and fall of the two relationships, remembered by the pair as they bond over drinks. Later, a revelation suddenly strains Cora and Ellen's old and dear friendship. Women Talking Dirty was screened at the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi