It seems like it is impossible to follow any religion without undergoing some kind of crisis of faith. Regardless of the specific beliefs, or whether someone was raised in a certain religion or came to it later in life, it seems only natural to begin to doubt certain aspects when the message does not quite match with the world that surrounds us. Many find themselves leaving religion altogether, while others attempt to make sense of it in any way possible. In the case of Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, the second directorial outing of Bassam Tariq, we see this topic discussed in detail, with the director exploring Islam from a few different perspectives. The film follows Latif, a god-fearing assassin who finds himself in a precarious position after the sudden death of his wife, which forces him to return home earlier than expected, tasked with taking up the responsibility of raising his three children, one of whom is a newborn and who requires breast milk, as she is unable to digest baby formula. This is complicated by the fact that he is asked by his close friend and employer Mike to eliminate Hwan Yoon, a sadistic psychopath masquerading as the leader of a local church, where he puts up a façade built around supposed Christian values, but which is only used as a means for him to target those he deems as being immoral, which includes Mike and his nephew. Suddenly, Latif is torn between his professional commitments (made more challenging by the stranglehold his employer has over him) and his familial responsibilities, desperate to prove to his children that he is a worthy father to them, while also trying his best to survive an enormously challenging situation. Bold and uncompromising in vision, while also touching on some deeply resonant themes that are so much more complex than we may have initially expected, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is a fascinating film that appears to follow some traditional narrative paths, but gradually goes in its own bespoke direction.

Religion is not always a particularly easy subject to explore on screen – what we often consider to be quite a widespread topic has struggled to be taken as seriously as other themes, especially since many viewers tend to draw quite a large division between faith-based stories and secular works that address religion in a way that tends to be quite disparaging a lot of the time. It’s increasingly rare to find works that exist at the intersection between the two, critically engaging with the core tenets of religious belief, while also not being inherently against celebrating the culture and tradition that tends to often be overlooked in the harsher attempts to look at it from different perspectives. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is built from the idea of looking at how everyone builds an intensely personal relationship with their beliefs, whatever they may be, and posits that there is no ideal way to engage with your faith (or the lack thereof), granted one is adhering to certain universal ideas that are not bound to a single religious category, but instead are part of the social contract. Tariq is fascinated by the concept of community – throughout this film, the protagonist, who has spent so much of his personal and professional life in almost complete isolation, has to rely on the generosity of those within this community to get through a very challenging set of circumstances, each new encounter forcing him to reckon with the choices he’s made in life, while also trying to justify maintaining that ironclad faith that has always been a part of his life. The film addresses these themes with incredible precision, finding ways to comment on a wide range of ideas while maintaining a simplicity that aids in elevating the story above just another parable about the importance of holding onto a personal set of beliefs, even if they may often deviate from the conventions usually dictated by religion.

There has been a discussion around the fact that Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother emerged in the aftermath of Tariq being selected to helm a new version of Blade for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a project that fell through as a result of ongoing delays and a lack of attention by those who didn’t see the potential in the project. What makes this so pertinent is that the adaptation was designed as a vehicle for Mahershala Ali, whose passion for the project made its eventual cancellation deeply upsetting, especially considering the pair would’ve made something quite special. However, it’s difficult to be too disappointed, since the dissolution of that project directly led to this film, which most can agree was a wiser decision, since not only are they not weighed down by the burden of having to work with an existing property, but they have the freedom to go in their own direction with the material. As expected, Ali is tremendous, delivering an absolutely stellar performance that proves that he is just as comfortable leading a film as he is taking on smaller parts (for someone of his stature, the fact that he’s led less than half a dozen films is astonishing, especially since he has the skill required to play just about any role), and is just as dedicated to the premise as everything else he has done. As one of the industry’s most prominent Muslim actors, it was clear that Ali was steadfast in his commitment to how he represents his faith on screen, delivering a deeply moving depiction of a man simply trying to do what he can to exist in a world that has grown increasingly more hostile towards him. It’s a stunning performance that allows Ali to challenge himself more than ever before, each decision he and Tariq make in forming the character of Latif being in service of something deeper and far more profound than it could’ve been had any other actor been cast in a role so evidently tailored to Ali’s specific gifts.

Considering the subject matter with which they were working, the team behind Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother could’ve taken it in any number of directions and still made it feel somewhat interesting. However, while the premise could’ve easily become fodder for something more satirical (since the idea of a cold-blooded hitman suddenly being thrust with the responsibility of raising three children is not too dissimilar from some studio comedies we’ve seen in the past), it was important that the right tone was chosen, which is likely what led the director to form this film as a more introspective, sombre character-driven drama about a man questioning his place in the world, undergoing a crisis of identity that causes him to question everything that he has been led to believe is true, and realising that there is more to life than just the strict dogma on which he bases every decision. It’s a fascinating piece of filmmaking that finds Tariq making some bold directorial choices, while also never over-extending himself to the point where it becomes more about the spectacle than it is the actual act of watching this story unfold organically. At a glance, it seems like a relatively conventional action thriller, filled with moments of quiet intensity coupled with a few sequences that contain a level of violence appropriate for the bleak subject matter, but never pushed too far to the point where it becomes too much for casual viewers to handle. The tone is kept quite straightforward, with every emotion serving a purpose deeper than just reflecting what is on screen, but instead communicating deeper messages that align far more closely with the overall intentions of the film, which reveal themselves to be far more complex and nuanced than we may have initially anticipated based on a glance. The film moves at a steady pace, taking us on an enthralling journey into the lives of these characters, while also maintaining a very purposeful distance from the viewer, forcing us to reconsider every moment and its deeper implications.

Perhaps there is a cultural specificity present in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother that means it is likely going to be more appreciated by those who exist within this community, particularly when it comes to certain references and pieces of information that take a lot more than just a surface-level knowledge of religious practice to entirely comprehend. Nevertheless, this is only a small obstacle present in a film that is mostly quite resonant as far as exploring the deeper themes that are not tied to a particular faith, but rather touch on some ideas that will resonate with a much wider portion of the population. It’s a striking film with a clear message and a sense of deep commitment to a challenging premise, which gradually grows as the film progresses, becoming more intense but never overwhelming to the point of being too unwieldy when it comes to handling the subject matter nestled right at the core of the film. There are many ways that this film communicates its deeper message: the simple storyline, which moves from one moment to another without needing to hinge too heavily on the underlying social or cultural commentary more than required, is elevated substantially by Ali (as well as the entire supporting cast – John Cho is a terrifying villain, and we get the opportunity to see the brilliant Giancarlo Esposito play a very different character than the usual besuited bureaucrat that he’s been playing for the better part of a decade), who understands the intricacies of this story and brings his own bespoke perspective to the narrative. It’s a tremendously moving film that has its share of complex moments, which all become part of delivering a very meaningful but also quite challenging drama that blends psychological thriller and action to create something deeply moving and profoundly unsettling, capturing a more elusive quality that is not always easy to categorise, but lays the foundation for this hauntingly beautiful and deeply captivating film that demonstrates the timeless quality of a good story told well.