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In theaters on limited release on September 25th Before opening wide on October 2nd is ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,’ s soulful but also action-packed drama written and directed by ‘Mogul Mowgli’s Bassam Tariq that finds Mahershala Ali (‘Moonlight’) as a recently widowed single father who works as an assassin, taking out criminals.
The cast for the new movie also includes Giancarlo Esposito (‘Breaking Bad’), John Cho (‘Searching’), Abubakr Ali (‘Anything’s Possible’), Adia (‘The Midnight Club’) and Tramell Tillman (‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’).
Related Article: Mahershala Ali Confirms He’s No Longer Attached to Marvel’s ‘Blade’ Movie
Initial Thoughts
While the idea for the film came to director Bassam Tariq years before he met Mahershala Ali and started an ill-fated journey to make Marvel’s ‘Blade’, it certainly benefitted from putting together the filmmaker and actor and the result is something that might just be more empathetic, funny and action-packed than that movie might have been.
Script and Direction
Tariq writes as well as directs here, and he’s wrangled a story that has deeply layered emotion (grief, single parenthood, religious hatred) blended with some kick-ass action moments for a whole that mostly is more than the sum of its parts.
Our main character Latif (Ali) is a man of commitment but also compromise, deeply faithful but also able to rationalize murder when the targets are heinous. Not everything works, but when the movie is firing on all thrusters (or, er thrusting swords), it’s a solid mix of indie sensibility and crowd-pleasing chaos.
Cast and Performances
This is definitely Oscar winner Ali’s show, he brings such soulful, angry, loving energy to Latif and is always magnetic when he’s on screen.
But credit also must go to those around him –– Adia as Latif’s daughter, Fatiha, is utterly charismatic and just as complex, while Abubakr Ali brings a healthy stream of comedy as the cocky Hatty. And then there’s John Cho, stealing scenes as a violent, crusading pastor, who enjoys both emotional moments and fighting moves.
Final Thoughts
It might give in to some wooly, less satisfying concepts in his climatic moments, but on the whole, ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ is well worth seeking out.
‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ receives 75 out of 100.
What is the plot of ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’?
Following the death of his wife, a devoutly religious hitman embarks on a desperate journey across Houston to protect his children, confronting the forces closing in around him – and the beliefs threatening to unravel within.
Who is in the cast of ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’?
- Mahershala Ali as Latif
- John Cho as Hwan Yoon
- Giancarlo Esposito as Abdul Malik
- Abubakr Ali as Hatty
- Tramell Tillman as Talib
- Laith Nakli as Mike Mahmoudi
- Adia as Fatiha
