I Can't Think Straight (2007)

Director:

Shamim Sarif

Writers:

Shamim Sarif (screenplay) &
Kelly Moss (screenplay)

Release Date:

November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

You can only find true love when you're true to yourself

Plot:

In the upper echelons of traditional Middle Eastern society, Reema and Omar prepare for the marriage of their daughter Tala...

Plot Keywords:

Indian | Tennis | Oxford | Cheating On Partner | Wedding Dress

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Lisa Ray	...	Tala
Sheetal Sheth	...	Leyla
Antonia Frering	...	Reema
Dalip Tahil	...	Omar
Nina Wadia	...	Housekeeper
Ernest Ignatius	...	Sam
Siddiqua Akhtar	...	Maya
Amber Rose Revah	...	Yasmin
Anya Lahiri	...	Lamia
Kimberly Jaraj	...	Zina
Sam Vincenti	...	Kareem
Rez Kempton	...	Ali
Daud Shah	...	Hani
George Tardios	...	Uncle Ramzi
Ishwar Maharaj	...	Sami

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content.

Runtime:

UK:80 min | Germany:85 min (European Film Market)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Color (Technicolor) | Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:12A | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Enlightenment Productions

Trivia:

In the book pile on Leyla's desk, that her sister Reema notices while talking to Leyla, the book at the bottom is Writer/Director Shamim Sarif's novel "Despite the Falling Snow".

Quotes:

Zina: You know, I think I found those weapons of mass destruction Bush was looking for. How clever of him to disguise them as two arab housewives.

Soundtrack:

Little Feeling

OK story with a message that gets through, but terrible chemistry

This film has a story to tell, I just feel it's not told as completely as it could be. The coming out story and the events that follow from that moment are something you don't see in other coming out films - perhaps it's needed in this film because of the complexity of the cultural backgrounds of the two protagonists.

I like I Can't Think Straight for that exact reason, it goes further than most coming out stories, focusing on the two cultures and what Tala and Leyla go through both coming from such 'face' cultures.

I don't quite think it was the acting quality that lets this movie down, but the lack of chemistry between the actors. When one actor is on cue, the other in the scene is off, and so on.

I think it also could've been improved if it focused a little more on the political/cultural backgrounds of both. Unless you're familiar with such cultures and have grasp of the taboos you can't begin to understand why this is such a powerful coming out story.