Meera Syal's novel, Anita And Me, is a rather pedestrian attempt at a coming of age story in a British village in 1972. Meena Kumar is from a Punjabi family that left India for Great Britain, just as Syal's parents did prior to her birth. Meena experiences the typical things of young adolescence, such as ethnic slurs, wanting to distance herself from her parents and culture, and wanting to be popular, etc. The two young leads are nothing special as the girls, and that is the biggest problem. The supporting characters are far more interesting, from Meena's own family, the neighbors, and other town folk. The soundtrack doesn't do the film justice either, as it is mostly muted in the background or loud and overbearing at brief moments. Still, there are several funny, laugh out loud moments involving Meena. Eventually, Meena and her friend have a falling out, and Meena publishes a short story and moves away to attend a prestigious school. In the end, it's education that gets one ahead in life, not teenage popularity or fitting in. The film tries to be both semi-serious and humorous simultaneously; it's interesting to a certain point, but it drags eventually. Ultimately, it's a disappointment considering what it could have been. **1/2 of 4 stars.