I gave this a high rating realizing that it isn't Citizen Kane, nor is it Lawrence of Arabia, but it moved me to tears more than once, and made me laugh frequently, and it tackled important issues and held out the possibility of solutions, something Hollywood films used to do routinely.

Too many Hollywood films in this era are made for kids in search of quick thrills, and that's fine, except the menu lacks balance. A constant diet of guns, explosions and emotional violence certainly doesn't model well as a reflection of the nation, does it? It is refreshing to find a beautifully acted story of a man who feels the magnetic pull of the homeland and struggles with giving up all his hard-earned wealth and glory to commit himself to others--what a novel idea! Name a major recent film that suggests such a thing! Very real third-world problems are graphically delineated, but as in other Bollywood films, there is always time for song and dance, and it's fun to take a break.

I do not claim greatness for this film, but I was highly entertained every minute and admired the craft it took to marry the music, images and story. We used to make films about heroes and creators and except for the recent Lincoln, they remain far and few. Swades reminds me a good deal of Frank Capra films from the 1930's, but with more color, and certainly a good deal more dance.