Welcome Back, Mahershala
It will go down in history as one of the biggest bag fumbles in Hollywood history. The MCU – for reasons unexplained and half baked – losing the combo of writer/director Bassam Tariq and Mahershala Ali turns out to be a giant black spot marked for death, because Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is a megaphone testament of what was lost. Not that Your Mother x3 is in any way ‘The Blade that Never Was,’ but that both Tariq and Ali seem to be a match made in heaven when it comes to making movies together. Their ideas are inventive and personal, and their talents are proven squandered by a machine that is simply incapable of fostering artistry or originality.
Tariq’s bold new vision is a reminder of that fact, and that (I know it’s hard to hear) most creatives do their best work when they’re finally unshackled by the binds of the Marvel machine. And honestly? It feels damn good to have Mahershala on screen again. Sorely missed, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is yet another reminder that he is one of the best working actors of our generation. And when the part is right, there’s kind of nobody better at this acting thing. Welcome back, Mahershala. The big screen missed you.
A Man on A Mission for His Family
Written and directed by Bassam Tariq, the film works best when you push the aforementioned MCU/Blade controversy from your mind. They could not be more different, the filmmaker and star (and maybe a sword) being the only carry overs. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother follows Latif, a devoutly religious, semi-retired hitman who believes his work is righteous based on the specific targets he pursues. When his wife unexpectedly dies, Latif is left to raise his three kids on his own, one of which is a baby still breastfeeding. The baby won’t take to bottles nor will it drink powder.
This sets Latif on a mission plagued with systemic roadblocks as well as unforeseen enemies who all seem to be closing in on him. How far will you go to protect your family? Is your faith strong enough when it is beset on all sides? Can you survive in a world designed to keep you drowning? How do you replace a mother as a father? Can that even be done? These are the questions posed in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. A father just trying to survive and keep his kids safe while experiencing a crisis of identity and belief.
Passion, Purpose, and Gritty Visuals
Brimming with righteous zeal and religious fervor, Your Mother x3 injects a healthy dose of heart and passion beneath the aging, sword swinging hitman story. Tariq and Ali have created something truly special here; a film advertised as an all out action thriller but has a lot more to say as it pushes the familial drama and devout traditionalism to the forefront of its story and character motivations. Community, religion and fatherhood all power Latif as he desperately tries to keep his head above water. It’s thematically rich, a layered texture of meaning and purpose to every element of the story. From its title to its deep roots in Islamic traditions to the parental relationships (both similar and different between mother and father), every piece of Your Mother x3 is made with intention.
Tariq smartly uses gritty and grounded visuals from cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi to create a lived in Houston. You can feel the humidity off the screen; everything looks and feels sticky and sweaty, lending a sense of realism and personal touch to the communities we visit. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother feels alive because Tariq and Ali breath life into every moment and every frame. Even when things start to escalate into a more surrealist 3rd act and John Cho’s militant MAGA Christian nationalist parody enters the fray, Your Mother x3 never loses sight of its heart or purpose. Tariq directs with assuredness and confidence, letting his own personal experiences spill onto the page and letting a master like Ali work his magic.
Emotionally Charged and Perfectly Balanced
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is so passionately constructed and well staged – the action sequences are particularly brutal and raw – that even when its operating with the conventional framework of struggling fatherhood it still manages to feel fresh. It’s constantly exciting and relentlessly entertaining even in its more quiet moments, delivering a perfect blend of heart, humor and action. It’s the intentionality behind Tariq’s vision and Ali’s character realization – he is transformed in every way, even down to the gait of his walk – that makes Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother work so well.
For every laugh out loud moment there’s a touching, heartfelt one to follow. For every meditative pause or somber reflection about faith and tradition there’s a riveting, close quarters action sequence around the corner. It’s all just so well constructed, an action film with so much to say becoming increasingly rare but allows something Your Mother x3 to shine bright among its peers. The third act may be a little too far for some. Though it brought me to tears, there’s some circumstances and ambitious choices that have the potential to alienate some audiences. For me and mine, it worked. But I can see how it will leave some scratching their heads hoping for a more straightforward answer to unknowable things. isn’t that faith in the first place, though?
Final Thoughts
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is a grounded, pulse pounding gut-punch of a film. A wholly unique experience that proves that you can still iterate on conventions and present them with a sense of newness. It shows us a different side of religion, one that is often misunderstood and maligned in ways only activated by immense (and sadly successful) propaganda. It’s beautifully crafted, excellently performed, and powerful in its message. All things that when combined, deliver a gritty, heartful thriller that is sure to leave you moved by the end.
We don’t need Tariq and Ali to make Blade, now. They are on a new path and if Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is any indication of what they have to offer, then I think we should follow them to wherever they want to go next.
Apex mountain for breastmilk.
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