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<!DOCTYPE html>     <html class="no-js" lang="en-US">  <head> <title>The LA Times reviews “Today’s Special” | David Kaplan : Films</title>  <meta charset="UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />  <link rel="pingback" href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/xmlrpc.php" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="David Kaplan : Films » Feed" href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="David Kaplan : Films » Comments Feed" href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/comments/feed/" /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='contact-form-7-css' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/css/styles.css?ver=3.9.3' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='portfolio_style-css' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-content/themes/portfolio/style.css' type='text/css' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='portfolio_font_style-css' href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Gudea:400,700,400italic' type='text/css' media='all' /> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.js?ver=1.11.1'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js?ver=1.2.1'></script> <script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-content/themes/portfolio/javascripts/theme.js'></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml" /> <link rel='prev' title='New York Post reviews “Today’s Special”' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/new-york-post-reviews-todays-special/' /> <link rel='next' title='“Play, Games, and Disappearing Reality”' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/article-play-games-and-disappearing-reality/' /> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 4.0.38" /> <link rel='canonical' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/the-la-times-reviews-todays-special/' /> <link rel='shortlink' href='http://www.kaplanworks.com/?p=334' /> <style id='portfolio-color-styles' type='text/css'>a, h5, h6, blockquote cite, img, span.required, header .post-meta a:hover, nav[role="navigation"] li.current-menu-item a, nav[role="navigation"] li.current-menu-parent a, .tmp-portfolio .view-port-item::before, .page-template-homepage-php .view-port-item:before { color: #000000; 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It is alive with a screen full of captivating characters, all written with affection and exquisitely played by a raft of fine actors.</p> <p><span id="more-334"></span>Mandvi’s Samir is a man in his 30s in need of unleashing his creativity — and of finding romance as well. The son of Indian immigrant parents (played by Harish Patel and Madhur Jaffrey), he is constantly harangued by his bombastic tyrant of a father who never tires of comparing Samir unfavorably to his dead brother.</p> <p>When the long-suffering son enters the shabby, failing storefront Tandoori Palace having no idea of how to make masala or any other Indian dish, help arrives in the form a colorful cabbie (Naseeruddin Shah) who swears he has cooked for Indira Gandhi. Shah’s Akbar is a free spirit of much cosmopolitan sophistication, boundless charm and beguiling storytelling abilities — his tales might not be entirely credible, but you want them to be.</p> <p>As the story unfolds, Samir’s chance encounter with a lovely former co-worker (Jess Weixler) could develop into something stronger than a rekindled friendship. Moving toward its not entirely surprising conclusion, this endearing film proceeds with the most delicate of nuances, all of them acutely observed and beautifully expressed.</p> <p>“Today’s Special” is a gem of wide appeal, richly deserving of finding an audience. Its makers know we know where it’s headed, but they make the journey a joy to behold.</p> <div class="clear"> </div> </section> <footer class="clear"> <div class="cat-links"> Categories: <a href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/category/feature-film/" rel="category tag">Feature Film</a>, <a href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/category/review/" rel="category tag">Review</a> </div> <div class="tag-links"> Tagged: <a href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/tag/todays-special/" rel="tag">Today's Special</a> </div> </footer></article> <nav> <p><a href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/article-play-games-and-disappearing-reality/" rel="next">Newer post</a><a href="http://www.kaplanworks.com/new-york-post-reviews-todays-special/" rel="prev">Older post</a></p> </nav> </div> <aside role="complementary"> <div id="search-2" class="widget widget_search"><form method="get" role="search" action="http://www.kaplanworks.com/"> <input type="text" id="s" name="s" value="Search…" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search…') { this.value = ''; 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