Mooz-Lum

It's not entirely fair for me to say that "Mooz-lum" was made on a low budget. I don't really know the facts on that. But it did seem to have some rough spots that wouldn't have been there if it had been a "typical" Hollywood movie.

For the most part, the acting was excellent. I'd really be surprised if the main character, Evan Ross, doesn't become more well-known as an actor. Strangely enough, Danny Glover wasn't that good in this movie. He acted almost like he didn't want to be there.

Some of the photography, especially at the beginning, was really beautiful. And the use of Qur'an recitations made for an authentic and haunting atmosphere.

The movie moves back and forth in time which I didn't catch on to right away. The earlier times were filmed in sepia with color tinting and the present was in full color.

I don't want to go into the story line itself for fear of spoiling it. But I will say that it's not quite what most people probably expect. The main character is s young man who was raised quite strictly as a Muslim and is now going to a secular college where he has to struggle with what being a Muslim means to him. That sounds kind of generic, but there's a plot twist that keeps it from being trite.

I was a little disappointed that there were no Caucasian Muslims in the film, because I'm afraid that it gave the impression that all Muslims are Arab or black and that's simply not true.

But overall, I was impressed with the film and recommend it to others, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

Today is September 11, 2011, a propitious time to view this small scale but important film based on a true story by the writer and director Qasim Basir. It presents in a very underplayed manner the Muslim generation who were also part of the tragedy ten years ago. The film is an excellent reminder of how important it is to view America as a true melting pot, the citizenry of peoples of all races, nationalities, religions - every one who is a part of this country was at one time an immigrant and struggled. It is our history and we need to consider it at all times but especially now.

Tariq (played as a young boy by Jonathan Smith and as a young man by Evan Ross - 23 year old son of artist Diana Ross) is from a strict Muslim family: his father Hassan (Roger Guenveur Smith) wears a thobe and taqiyah and is immersed in his religion and culture while his mother Safiyah (Nia Long) wears traditional Muslim hijabs and body covering garments but is not as strict in her beliefs as Hassan, They also have a daughter Taqua (Kimberley Drummond). Hassan forces Tariq leave home study and to go to a Muslim school much against Safiyah's wishes. At the school he is beaten by a cruel instructor and suffers taunting when he finds interest in a Catholic girl. Time flips ahead and Hassan is driving Tariq to college where Hassan has demanded a Muslim roommate for Tariq - Hamza (Kunal Sharma) who is a traditional Muslim but when Tariq requests his privacy and to be called T, Hamza willingly complies. Tariq is clearly in a state of anxious confusion about who he is and how to deal with the demands of his father and the experiences of his Muslim schooling. He attends a class on World Religions taught by professor Jamal (Dorian Missick) who happens to be Muslim and encourages Tariq to embrace his culture: the professor must face the consequences of his religious beliefs with the Dean of the College (Danny Glover). Tariq falls in with an old friend Cedric (Vladimi Versailles) who lives across the hall in his dorm and Cedric introduces Tariq to alcohol and women. At the height of Tariq's dilemma about his training and discovering who he really is, the September 11, 2001 happens and the campus non-Muslims turn against the Muslims and Tariq must forge his new self image as his beliefs are now openly challenged because of the threat of terrorism. How he settles into his new existence is the manner in which the film ends - in a very subtle and touching way.

The cast is strong, particularly Nia Long and Evan Ross who manage to carry the audience into a place where understanding of differences becomes credible and meaningful. There are flaws in the film - the musical score is created on electronic keyboards resulting in a rather 'budget conscious' demeaning style, certain characters are not fleshed out enough to be believable, and other characters (the non-Muslims enraged after 911) are portrayed as stereotypes. But the message is clear and the film helps the viewer understand the difficulty Muslims and other minorities had immediately after 911 ....and still today. As-Salâm Alaikum, wa-laikum as-Salâm.

Grady Harp

I think that is a question people should ask themselves.

In interviews, I got the impression from Qasim Basir and Roger Guenveur Smith that this movie would be about prejudice and hatred against Muslims. Which I think is a very important issue especially these days. But while that is part of "Mooz-lum", it seems to me to play a minor role.

The core theme of the movie really are the troubles of this young man with his religious community, where those troubles originate and whether he will overcome them. When Qasim Basir says the movie would appeal to everybody, he automatically sees it from his theistic point of view. Because this movie should indeed appeal to everybody who is faithful and not a bigot - no matter what their faith might be. But if you are against religious institutions, you will probably not enjoy this movie unless you for some reason romanticize Islam. As I said in the beginning: ask yourself whether you would still like it if it was about Christianity. Personally, I cannot stand movies that promote the idea that a certain religion is good, that faith in general is important and that religious communities are great.

Also, the movie at one point makes the argument that sticks and stones really are more harmful than words, calling one of the most awful characters in the movie a "nice guy" - just because he is not violent. I find it reprehensible how lenient people often are with those who cause considerable psychological damage to others.

And from a more "technical" point of view, there are quite a couple of scenes in there that seem over-dramatic, and visually there were rare elements that made it look unprofessional (e.g. cheesy titles design and I am pretty sure there were flat-out mistakes in one or two picture transitions).

What I do give this movie credit for is the fact that it for the most part looks decently shot, that it does tackle the issues of conservatism among religious people, prejudice/hatred against Muslims and a fantastic soundtrack.

So to sum up - if you are "pro-faith" and tolerant, you will probably enjoy this movie. But if you are agnostic/atheist and even though tolerant towards religious people still think that faith is a bad idea - you will probably not enjoy "Mooz-lum".

Just walked in my front door after seeing this movie...One word: Amazing! It truly delivers the right note. The right emotional punch - several actually.

A movie like this is a necessary step in bringing the dialog necessary to open minds.

A welcome voice of reason and respect in a time of EXTREME and painfully illogical right-wing bullying. A nice message of peace amidst a daily attack by bigot shock jocks who are the true terrorists for inciting violence and fear.

I was NOT expecting this movie to be this good. The performances were so on point. You could really tell that this was a labor of love. I really want to see more from this writer/director. If I had to choose the very best performances, I would say Evan Ross (I was not familiar with his work, but I'm a fan NOW!!!) the girl who played his sister (very emotional without once going over the top) and Roger G. Smith (quiet intensity - just amazing).

This movie deserves global recognition.

Evan Ross deserves an Oscar. This was an award winning performance for someone so new to the industry. Nia Long also gives one of the best performances of her career to date. As expected Danny Glover plays one of his better known characters {a Mister-type, think Color Purple}. He pulls this off as only he can. Roger G.Smith's maturity shows how much he has grown as an actor since "Malcolm X". His performance is also dead-on. He plays the stern Dad that many of us have grown up with. However it is the climatic end of this tale that really sets this movie apart from the rest. Grown men (macho-types) nearly came to tears at the end of this movie. This is a must-see! Enjoy it with your family.