'The Lunchbox' offers poignant food for thought

Food has been a cross-cultural symbol of togetherness since, at least, the time of the first Chinese New Year or the Last Supper. Many may recall the old clich? that the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox" breathes new life into this concept with its intriguing love story, emphasizing the bonding power of food amid a life of isolation and the importance of second chances. And as a potential side effect, audience members may crave Indian cuisine after viewing this artistic and emotional, if perhaps somewhat unsatisfying, romantic drama.

The film tells the story of lonely housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur) who tries to regain the affection of her distant husband (Nakul Vaid) with a special homemade meal. After discovering that the lunchbox she makes was accidentally delivered to Saajan (Irrfan Khan), an aging widower on the verge of retirement, Ila decides to write a note to accompany the following day's meal, beginning a secret correspondence that rekindles the characters' dreams and passion for life. Slowly, Ila and Saajan are motivated to become better people and to seize opportunities to improve their lives.

If nothing else, the film is a beautiful, though sad, portrayal of urban Indian life. Candid shots of workers bustling through their daily lives bookend the movie and provide a real-life context. A persistent drum beat score keeps time with the fast-paced life of city laborers as the camera follows the lunchbox's fateful journey through Mumbai's elaborate lunch delivery system. The viewer understands the characters' struggles to stay hopeful in such a mind-numbing and often melancholy environment.

The film also succeeds in its many artistic moments. Scenes consistently cut back and forth between Ila and Saajan's lives to show parallels and emphasize their mutual loneliness - simultaneously staring at the phone, reading each other's notes in quiet, dressing for the day. In a particularly striking scene, Ila speaks with her husband about having another child in hopes of revitalizing their marriage. A mirror reflects her alone as she speaks to her aloof spouse, illuminating the sad reality of her situation. Ila is speaking to no one