YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER

Director
Bassam Tariq

Starring
Mahershala Ali
John Cho
Adia
Abubakr Ali

After the death of his wife, Latif [Ali] finds himself looking after his three children alone; the youngest of whom is allergic to formula and requires breast milk. In a quandary, devout Muslim Latif goes from mosque to mosque seeking help from women who are nursing. Running out of options and struggling to feed his daughter, all while fasting for Ramadan, Latif becomes overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that his day job is being a hitman, and he’s being pressured to assassinate the head of an extremist evangelical Christian cult named Hwan Yoon [Cho].

A question entering my mind as I left the cinema was “what type of movie is this?” From a marketing perspective, it could so easily be miss-sold as an action-heavy John Wick experience. Or a slower-paced, more contemplative story of a man driven to violence, like You Were Never Really Here or Drive. And while it’s a drama and treatise on religious following and parenthood with an undercurrent of violence, I think it would be more accurate to describe it in terms of a mythological parable. With its captivating tension, its moral dilemmas, and its heightened sequences, it feels otherworldly – despite the simple grounded urgency.

What’s more, there’s such a fascinating commentary on a very male-centric world; both the hypocrisies and the absurdities of it. It’s no coincidence that Latif’s failings truly start the moment he loses his wife. From a botched hit job – a domino that leads to aggravated hostility between Hwan Yoon and Latif’s handler (Mike played by Laith Nakli) – to risking the safety of his community, Latif’s employment and actions have direct consequences without the women in his life to protect him. Which becomes truly evident in a powerful scene later that I’ll sidestep discussing to avoid spoilers.

There are plenty of great side performances that slide in and out of this story, but this is Ali’s feature. The man carries the entire film from beginning to end, not only as a towering, powerful figure, but through an unusually introspective role that demands so much gravitas and urgency with minimal dialogue. All with the added pressure of a surprising level of earnest humour. That combination is an incredibly challenging mix to pull off, and Ali does it with ease. The other side of the coin is the more cartoonish, flamboyant fanatic, Hwan Yoon. With his gold teeth, gaudy cowboy outfits and self righteousness, Cho is a worthy adversary; as dangerous as he is ludicrous.

Tariq’s debut, Mogul Mowgli, clearly demonstrated a gift for hard-hitting storytelling and compelling filmmaking that draws you in. That same skillset is clearly on display here. Most notably in Katelin Arizmendi’s vivid cinematography, Son Lux’s striking and spiritually ascendent choral score, and of course the bold direction throughout. It’s hard to discuss one of the film’s grandest visual swings without utterly ruining the momentum it tries so hard to build, but the ‘underwater praying’ scene is truly phenomenal. Both ambitious and oddly simple, unique, and steeped in symbolism.

**spoiler at the end of this paragraph**
With all of that said, it should be noted that while this story explores themes of a devout Muslim going through a crisis of faith, hemmed in by his options, and suffering the consequences of his actions, we’ve actually seen this tale quite a few times before. Albeit not from this perspective. Subsequently, there’s an air of uniformity. And although it simmers magnificently, one could argue this movie never really gets to the peak and crescendo you might want – though it does come close. Absolutely, there are moments that grab you and acts of brutality that terrify. But the more you sit with some of the choices and actions in retrospect, the more it sort of peters. To reiterate, I don’t want to undersell the choice to close on an act of grace over total decimation, because it’s a unique and impactful one. I just felt that this story had more to say and sometimes got a little lost in the escalating predicaments and snowballing chaos.

As a film born from the delays and mismanagement of a Blade adaptation, this feels like a superior consolation prize. Complex, confident, and somewhat ethereal, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother embodies the best qualities of art house darkness and independent cinematic soul.

Release Date:
20 November 2026

The Scene To Look Out For:
With so much constantly bombarding Latif, there are very few still moments. One of the most standout is a half-way point transgression – sort of akin to those in A Serious Man. Despite following the rules and options society has set out for him, his haste leads him to a former strip club. With his daughter finally being fed, the camera falls slowly to the floor, and the sound of feeding allows him a moment of respite. Little does he know, that 5 seconds of peace is in fact the act that instigates to much of what is to come.

Notable Characters:
There are some heavy hitters in the supporting cast, all of whom do a magnificent job. But Adia as Latif’s daughter Fatiha is fantastic. A reflection of teenage angst, navigating the realities of being religious in a modern setting. All while coming to terms with what her father does for a living, and the loss of her mother at the same time.

Highlighted Quote:
“God has blessed him with a gift. To punish without mercy.”

In A Few Words:
“An imperfect release but an incredibly bewitching and worthwhile one.”

Total Score: 4/5