Layla M.

Treads the water on exposing both Islamophopia and the tendency of Muslims living in the western world to radicalize and fundamentalize under that stress, within the context of ISIS and controversial political leaders such as the Dutch Geert Wilders and the American president Donald Trump. A tricky subject that I thought was handled quite excellently in this Dutch film. Good character study and a great performance by Nora El Koussour.

I wish that some of the characters had been a bit more fleshed out, such as the father played by Mohammed Azaay and the husband played by Ilias Addab. A good foreign film that tackles a timely topic.

Youth rebellion comes in many different shapes and forms. Ranting against stodgy, conservative parents, refusal to conform to society's expectations or just desire to be original and stand out. "Layla M." is a movie about a Dutch teenager angry at racism, who embraces Islamic fundamentalism, shocking her moderate parents. It all has to end in tragedy, but the question of re-integration to society after being radicalized by ISIS stays open. Some mistakes are harder to forgive than others, and some, perhaps shouldn't be.

At a time of the ISIS raucous war in the Middle East, a Muslim teen with a strong identity falls prey to Jiddahists, trading her confortable life in a working decent family in The Netherlands for an unknown future. Strong character but naive beliefs do the rest. Modest production, conveys the idea and tells a lesson

We should also be talking about how the girl was made into feel that she's doing something wrong, that's why she chose Islam. Kids dying, people being treated as lower than humans... This girl wanted to find a place of belonging, and spread peace, love and help to everyone. But to more she ached, to more people were against her, which caused her to be more violent and assertive. Why should there be a "You & Us" anyway? This is what the terrorists are doing, but we failed at making them know that it doesn't have to be like that.

Layla was nowhere wrong. She is a good muslim. She just wanted her rights. Right to hijaab, right to be equal, right to freedom of religion and a lot more. And when she felt she's not gonna live freely there. She choose to leave her family and marry her friend. It's not her fault whatever next happened. Why we are repeating these stories again and again. What if the director shows that the guy was a good Muslim and they lived their lives peacefully together and fought for their rights. But no, we are gonna show this islamophobia again n again.