Headlined by the spirited Sophia Ali, this vibrant romance/family drama has a lively pacing. There are unexpected twists thrown in that made this one quite memorable.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 14, 2023

India Sweets and Spices is peppy, energetic and unapologetically broad in its comic approach.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 4, 2022

The impossibility of ever really knowing our parents is a familiar storyline, but it’s told here with real generosity and warmth. Malik slyly pokes fun, but never meanly.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 29, 2022

Sweet central performances can't outweight the social satire laid on thick and the gaudy aesthetic in this inside job on some questionable expat community values

| Feb 21, 2022

What follows makes this movie more complex that its rom-com set up, which has Alia returning home for the summer break, being pursued by a handsome, wealthy young man who will have a real elephant...

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 17, 2022

Its ham-fisted, for sure, and some of the story points are clumsily handled...Still, its hard not to warm to the films well-packaged progressive sentiments, especially when blessed with such a winning lead performance.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 4, 2022

A blend of a romantic comedy and a family drama [that's] somewhat erratic in its tone and pacing. It's ultimately a charming story about a young woman finding her identity and coming to terms with how family baggage and family traditions affect her life.

| Jan 20, 2022

India Sweets and Spices gives us a different aspect of the diaspora experience by trying to understand Sheila's generation and the things they gave up in order to give their children the life they have.

| Nov 29, 2021

The film's balance of humor, drama, and emotional depth makes India Sweets and Spices a delight to watch.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 23, 2021

In spite of the themes of emancipation the film has wrapped itself in, it's ironically caught between the safety of old paths and its desire to step into new ones.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 23, 2021

The film does still have a certain degree of charm, thanks mostly to the performance from Ali, who moves nicely between the comedic and serious moods and helps to center the narrative.

| Nov 22, 2021

Unfortunately, "India Sweets and Spices" feels as shallow as the wealthy community it depicts.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 19, 2021

Much of this has been done before in more stylish, more well-rounded films, and India Sweets and Spices suffers from those comparisons.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 19, 2021

Alia's internal tug-of-war may be familiar to many first- and second-generation children of immigrants, and Malik's film makes that uneasy struggle into a poignant yet delightful journey of self-discovery.

| Nov 19, 2021

Writer/director Geeta Malik attempts to tackle a lot within the fairly limited framework of India Sweets and Spices.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 19, 2021

Warmth and intelligence - and a strong sense of both fun and feminism - make Malik's film worth a watch, and rising star Ali is worth keeping an eye on as well.

| Nov 18, 2021

Substantive without being didactic, and bursting with humor, it's a genuine feel-good film that focuses on the relationships between people in a manner that's as authentic as it is pleasing.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 18, 2021

A bland, uninspired story cut from a well worn template.

| Nov 18, 2021

Malik addresses potent cultural issues with clarity and sophistication and the film winds up being as much of a spitfire as its irresistible female protagonist.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 18, 2021

Without sacrificing comedic buoyancy, Malik and her ensemble make palpable a community that is vibrant and claustrophobic.

| Nov 18, 2021