Balancing a fine line between family cheese and intelligent social commentary, Qasim Basir's first feature length movie Mooz-lum
makes for an interest tale that highlights the issues Western Muslims have been facing of late. Proclaiming to be a true story, this drama looks at several issues centering on one Muslim African American family led by a surprisingly older looking Nia Long (most well known as Will Smith's girlfriend on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
) and Roger Guenveur Smith from Malcolm X
and Final Destination
.
makes for an interest tale that highlights the issues Western Muslims have been facing of late. Proclaiming to be a true story, this drama looks at several issues centering on one Muslim African American family led by a surprisingly older looking Nia Long (most well known as Will Smith's girlfriend on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) and Roger Guenveur Smith from Malcolm X and Final Destination. 
Although from the outset via a flashback, life looks peachy and sweet for the family unit, cracks quickly begin to appear between the mother and father. A clash between Islamic liberalism and conservatism swiftly leads to a divorce and sets in motion a chain of events for the movie's central protagonist Tariq, the family's older child. Leaving home, he learns the hard way on how to deal with all of the issues that can possible face a young Muslim growing up in the West. But herein lies Mooz-lum's problem; akin to other movies that attempt to look at the social problems of minorities, this movie also falls into the trap of trying to say too much, in too little time.
problem; akin to other movies that attempt to look at the social problems of minorities, this movie also falls into the trap of trying to say too much, in too little time.Our hero Tariq is not only the product of a marriage where there is a fierce conflict between traditionalism and modernity, but he also has to deal with religious ignorance from his peers, child physical and sexual abuse, racial stereotyping, terrorism, physical relationships and a totally shoe horned in subplot about a Muslim college professor's relationship with his institution's dean (played by Danny Glover).
Yet despite its dense plot, Mooz-lum does not shy away from it's own convictions and message, thus ultimately elevating the complete feature to heights not normally seen in Hollywood, due to it's warmth, sincerity and morality. Although the ending maybe a little too saccharine sweet for a more cynical audience to appreciate - it is far from a happy one, as a twist in the story that occurs 15 minutes before the closing credits shifts the overall tone of Mooz-lum into the darker territories of a changed world, who's vision of reality has been distorted by jingoism and The War on Terror. 7/10Bad Language: None.
Sex and Nudity: Some brief sexual references.
Violence: Brief moderate.
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