David & Layla

A modern tale for the ages. Told with genuine tenderness and respect for both sides of the coin, "David & Layla" is the love story of a Muslim woman and a Jewish man. Peppered with interesting historical tidbits of information and unexpected laughs, the movie's strength lies in the fact that Jonroy has a healthy respect for his characters and never takes a side other than basically saying "Forget all the petty nonsense in the world. All you need is love.". Moreover, Jonroy never condescends; everyone and their relative perspectives are treated with equal respect (no small feat, considering the subject matter!). The writing, directing and acting are superb. If you want a break from the usual Hollywood dreck, go see this movie. It's a welcomed breath of fresh air.

I truly enjoyed "David and Layla", not only for it's charm and wit, but because of the melange of characters and the cultural awareness their story provokes. As a contemporary love story, it is poignant and relative to the crises our world faces today. This film proves that, despite any cultural differences, true love can manifest into a peaceful union of two sides.

The unique talents of David Moscow (David) and Shiva Rose (Layla) are outstanding, and I anticipate seeing them in other roles in the future. Director Jay Jonroy thoroughly explores every emotional aspect of love and war between two divided cultures. With success, he cleverly brings the two together. I hope everyone is fortunate to see this special film and appreciate it as much as I do.

I saw a screening of this film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. The film was a refreshing deviance from a lot of the more heavy handed political films out there. David and Layla succeeds in capturing a new type of emotion indicative of both lead characters and their lifestyles which are ethnically diverse but similar in that they share this common bond of living in an American city where one can stay true to their roots but be free spirited as well. The film was an entertaining experience containing many truths. Jonroy skillfully manages to blend love, politics and comedy whilst keeping the overall theme grounded in reality. Additionally, one should not miss the stand out performances of Ed Chemaly and Will Janowitz.

Do you want a change from Hollywood's formulaic films? Wait until you see this new independent film from New York. Last summer I saw it at a UCLA "cultural diversity" test preview with a large mixed Jewish Muslim American audience, including lots of us- regular or irregular Americans! This screening was organized by UCLA's Center for Near Eastern Studies, apparently sponsored by Jewish, Arab, Kurdish and Iranian foundations. The film turned out to be a clever, political, and thought provoking, mixed-genres 'Romantic Comedy', generating a few sad tears and lots of smiles and laughs! The audience loved the film.

Set in Manhattan and Brooklyn, it's a stimulating and believable love story, evidently inspired by a true Jewish Muslim romance: A sort of 'West Side Story' or 'Romeo & Juliet', sprinkled with religious issues & political dialogs re. contemporary Middle East. It finishes with an ambiguous, though altogether human, Happy Ending! The male lead David (DAVID MOSCOW) is charming and funny.

The best surprise is the female lead: the poetic, dancing Layla (SHIVE ROSE.) Her Layla is so lovely and graceful that even women fall in love with her, and her cause! Shiva, a Persian American actress, was in the audience with her Hollywood actor husband, Dylan McDermott, the TV star of THE PRACTICE. She joined the director for a lively Q & A afterward. Shiva said to bring the plight of divided Kurdistan – and the genocide/gassing of 5000 Kurds in Halabja by Saddam - to the world's attention was one of the reasons she was wanted to play Layla.

It's refreshing to see on film such a strong, intelligent and complex female lead as Layla from the Middle East/Islam world. Sadly, due to censorship, lately the films from Iran and the Middle East tend to be mostly about men and especially about sweet or tragic children. The instinctual feminine strength, and the natural shapes and graceful movements of women are covered by Fundamentalists' religious laws. Women are restricted to minor, one dimensional support, pretty & passive roles. Or at best, women are reduced to attractive faces with talking mouths- while their heads of long hair - the playful mysteries of which drove painters & poets to ecstasy - remain covered; while their feminine, fertile bodies are shrouded in uniform funeral black; and while their passionate hearts are caged by men's pious Laws!

Becoming more and more liberated, Layla speaks her mind, dances and drinks wine! Watch out for her incidental (or accidental?) breathtakingly beautiful Marylyn Monroe moment- a 360 degree dazzling night scene of Layla dancing at Times Square! That is enough, as anyone familiar with the Arab and the Islamic world would tell you, for their conservative or cowardly governments – fearful of fundamentalists' wrath – to ban this film from being distributed in any Arab and Islamic country. (Possible exceptions are Turkey and the newly "free" secular Kurdistan in northern Iraq.) Ironically, this film will be super popular in the Arab & Islamic societies, especially among their oppressed women and youth. Overtime, the film should build a huge cult following on underground DVD & cable and satellite TV broadcasting from the 'free' world to the Middle East and Islamic countries. (During the Q & A, a couple of Kurds, mistaking this fictional film for a documentary, complained that not all Kurds are Muslims!)

The great ensemble support cast of mixed American and ethnic character actors is directed convincingly. Scenes and dialogs in this fast-paced film are fresh: original scenes, bits of history and culture, relevant ideas and witty or scathing dialogs, and tough issues...you are unlikely to have seen or heard before. And the sex scenes are by turn: funny, wild, romantic or exciting!

Towards the end, look out for a colorful Kurdish & Jewish ethnic wedding, with an unexpected & daring symbolic exchange! From the opening sequence to the ending credits, the captivating music (Jewish Klezmer, Jazz, and Kurdish and Iranian music) touches the heart and tickles the funny bone.

I hear the film is being shown at festivals & universities, waiting to be picked up by a distributor for general release. As another IMDb User has commented, the film plays with fire: it will ruffle feathers among the industry and festival power players who are mostly used only to see one side of this story shown in a positive light; and who are used to Hollywood films where religious conversion happens only in one "politically correct" direction.

Anyway, can't the 'gate keepers' take, the (ironic) religious conversion in this film, not literally, but as a convenient sacrifice by lovers for the sake of love?

Let's hope a distributor will find that for the general American and international audiences, this Jewish Muslim meaningful Romantic Comedy could be the next "Bend It Like Beckham" or "My Big Fat Jewish Muslim Wedding", with spicy politics, and a strong message of peace, that will also attract those seeking a bit of intelligence with their entertainment!

Jay Jonroy has clearly put his passion where his camera is.

Even though he is personally affected by some of the events his characters go through, he doesn't beat you over the head with the darker sides of life and how humans can be so horrible to each other.

The acting is great. Though some of the characters can seem ridiculous, it helps make the whole situation more palatable. Aren't our prejudices and misunderstandings of each other usually ridiculous anyway? ( I mean, can't we all just get along?) ;o) I saw this movie at the Avignon Film Festival at Hunter College, and my cousin was visiting. She is living in Israel and is dating a man who is Israeli, but whose mother is Kurdish. We laughed and cried together at the travails David and Layla must go through when dealing with their families. You might too.

Essentially, this can be described as a sweet, yet rough around the edges, and real, romantic comedy-drama! The soundtrack alone is worth the ticket! I hope Jay gets a distributor soon!

This film is like 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' meets 'Romeo and Juliet' meets CNN--For grownups!