My thoughts about movies and TV shows I've been watching

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Saturday, April 21, 2018

Excellent topical Durch film about the evolution of a young jihadist: Layla M

The 2016 Dutch film Layla M, streaming on Netflix, is a terrific drama that's both topical and universal: the story of a young (last year in high school) girl in Amsterdam, of Moroccan descent, who gets drawn into a jihadist movement. The eponymous Layla, as we see in the first, energetic scene at a soccer/football match, is spirited and ready to take offense at anyone who disparages those of her Muslim faith (an opposing coach talks about trouble he's had w/ "your people," which sets her off). We soon see that she's become active in civil-rights movements for Muslims living in the Netherlands, an advocacy that puts her at odds against her parents, her father in particular, a successful and well-assimilated businessman. As with so many her age, she becomes bold and reckless, particularly once her brother is beat up and held briefly by police following a rights demonstration. In rebellion against her family and their high expectations for her, she scuttles her final exams (and her chance to enter college as a premed) and focuses on a romantic relationship that has been slowly developing (via some form of Skype communications) w/ a fellow activist - far more committed and devout than she. As her relationship w/ her family deteriorates, she leaves home and marries her boyfriend in a traditional Muslim ceremony - and then they're off, to Belgium he says. Things immediately get worse: They stop off at a jihadist training camp, he increasingly isolates, ignore, and denigrates her, and then announces that they're going to "the mideast" - it's never established exactly where they go aside from the Syrian border; Ithink it must be Jordan. Once there, she and new husband are set up in a truly dingy apartment, and he leaves her alone all day as he works w/ others in the jihad, evidently preparing for martyrdom. It is a strictly male-dominated society, and she gradually realizes what she's gotten into - and finally leaves, and the movie ends somewhat abruptly, w/ Layla's being detained on arrival in Amsterdam. Then, the smart filmmakers give us information - explaining that many youths are attracted to jihad, which some abandon and try to return home, but each country handles returnees differently. We feel for Layla - she's in some ways just a kid who made bad decisions - but we also understand: How can they be sure she's not returned home to create more terror? The movie is smart, open-ended, and holds you in its grip from start to finish, in large part because of a great performance from the lead (I will look up names): Nora El Koussour. Director is Mijk de Jong.

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