Inshallah a Boy

Anchored by a strong central performance from its leading lady, Inshallah a Boy is an indictment of Jordan's absurd patriarchal norms & religious laws and demonstrates the utter ridiculousness of it all through its story of a recently widowed woman who's forced to navigate the bureaucratic maze that's designed & exists to ensure the subjugation & oppression of the nation's womenfolk.

Directed by Amjad Al Rasheed in his directorial debut, the story covers the never-ending ordeal of our protagonist that begins when a relative tries to exploit the country's inheritance laws to lay claim on her house & custody of her daughter in the wake of her husband's death. Pushed into a corner with not many viable options at her disposal, she makes up a lie that quickly spirals out of control.

The drama is gripping for the most part despite the predictable route it takes and the subplots only lend more weight to the critique. However, what keeps us invested in the journey is Mouna Hawa's emotionally draining act that aptly articulates her character's frustration, suffocation, isolation & agony over the injustice of it all while she's helpless. And the patriarchal mindset is also reflected in how her brother treats her.

Overall, Inshallah a Boy is competently crafted & skilfully narrated but it's the performances that do the heavy lifting here and steer the film past the finish line. A more compact structure, tighter editing & better pace may have benefitted the whole proceedings but what it has in store still makes for a thrilling & heartbreaking story that's worth a shot. One of the better films of its year, this is an impressive first feature from the debutant filmmaker.

Loved this film so much. An engaging and intense story of a woman's fight - not struggle - against patriarchal tradition and law. It's so rare for a male filmmaker to write and portray women so realistically and well. It was an intense film and story without ever feeling heavy handed. The film evokes visceral responses in the audience as you follow the main character's quest. The story is both unique in that it deals with Jordan specific laws, however so universal in portraying the ways archaic oppression affects women. Amazing acting by all but particularly by the actress playing Nawal, the main character. Every character felt layered and none felt one dimensional. So impressive that this was the director's first feature and can't wait to see more from him.

Filmmaker Amjad Al-Rasheed debut movie perfectly captures the reality of gender inequality, inheritance rights and gender relations in the middle east culture with strong direction, good dialogue, realism style and a strong performance from Mouna Hawa. Al-Rasheed direction and approach on the subject matter felt genuine on the issues of what women have to face and the challenges they have to endured without feeling cheesy or sloppy. Including the uses of dialogue, conversation, and pacing felt tense, realistic, and emotional at times.

The performances are pretty good especially Hawa and the rest of the cast members. The characters are interesting and many of the emotional core moments and themes are powerful and handled very well. The camerawork is good tho some of the camerawork feels too bland at times and there are some slow moments.

But overall, it is really good movie. I don't see much films from Jordan and glad to check more out.

A compelling and emotionally charged film that fearlessly addresses critical issues facing women in relation to inequality, inheritance laws, and gender relations. It delves deep into the heart of societal norms and cultural expectations, shedding light on the struggles and resilience of women facing these challenges. The cinematography is nothing short of amazing. It is a touching masterpiece that not only educates but also inspires. It challenges viewers to confront deeply rooted inequalities and question established norms. This movie stands as a testament to the power of cinema in addressing important societal issues and delivering a profound impact.

Wow... what did i just see ??? Goodness me... what an amazing movie , what an amazing story telling , writing , acting , directing... there is nothing , not even one thing wrong about this film. These are everyday people , this is an everyday story , this is real art , this is real acting. Nawal ( Mouna Hawa ) is such a beautiful woman and a fantastic actress. Some may think this is a very slow moving film or boring etc. However , for someone who was born and raised in that region ; i can assure you that these type of deals are part of daily , regular life and again this is the real life , real people real drama at its best...