The Namesake is a family drama that follows a Bengali-American family (the Gangulis) from the parents' courtship in India, move to New York City, and birth and life of their son, Gogol (played by Kal Penn). The film explores the tensions between tradition and assimilation, and between autonomy and family life.
Unfortunately I do not believe the film addresses these issues in a particularly interesting way, namely because of its focus on Gogol's coming of age and maturation. Gogol transforms from being obnoxious and self-absorbed to being a good guy who cares about his mama and his Bengali heritage. I didn't buy Kal Penn's performance, and I didn't buy how profound his character's self-realization was. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had seen this kind of story many, many times before.
On the plus side, the actors who play the parents do a marvelous job (Irfan Khan as Ashoke, the father, and Tabu as Ashima, the mother). I think their characters' story would have been a more interesting movie than Gogol's.