Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

c_contreras2008 Cute cute film. Glad I had a chance to see it. I have a soft spot for romantic comedies, but this one struck me as different. First of all, there's an undeniable intelligence in the writing. That's not something you would expect from a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. It's a Jewish and Muslim romance, but thankfully that isn't used as a gimmick for cheap jokes. I could tell the writer really thought out the possibilities of bringing the two cultures together, and it's really well done. The film isn't afraid to delve into politics, but it doesn't allow itself to get mired in it, because there was always a witty line or clever scene reliably around the corner. Performances strong too. I hope I see more of Shiva Rose (she plays Layla) in the future. I highly recommend this.

hulujoon It's the type of film that makes you think and allows you to open your mind. Unfortunately, religion has separated many people, caused wars, and killed an unfathomable amount of innocence. Jay incorporates much symbolism, wit, character, and charm into this film portraying that love can conquer all if one can keep an open mind and live life embracing the good in all that exists. Many of us have been raised in America but come from deep cultural roots. We are the first generation dealing with many changes, having to adapt to our new "home" but living our lives by our parents' standards and traditional values in a society that challenges us daily.Many of us play two different roles at home vs. being out in the society we live in. In the end......we follow what's in our hearts.

Kevin Maness David and Layla is a romantic comedy, a light-hearted and optimistic take on the star-crossed lover theme that so often ends in tragedy. David, a Jewish-American man, falls in love with Layla, a Kurdish immigrant who hopes to stay in America (after the death of her family at the hands of Saddam Hussein). When their families find out, hijinks ensue.I imagine some people will find the movie un-funny, if not offensive, because the couples work out or gloss over their differences in order to get married. In the "working out" process, there is enough to make people on all "sides" of the issues represented feel slighted. In America, especially, people tend to gravitate to the extremes when it comes to their understanding of middle east conflicts: either we know (close to) nothing about it, or we feel that such serious matters should never be joked about because they're too dire.Jonroy chooses a middle way. His movie repeatedly acknowledges the centuries of conflict between Jews and Arabs and between Jews and Muslims, and it even pauses to provide some straight-up education about the oppression of the Kurds in Turkey and Iraq, especially. That's somewhat bold for a romantic comedy, but he walks the fine line well. Jonroy's comedy doesn't depend on ignoring, belittling, or (God forbid) posing simplistic solutions for these problems. Rather, the local, romantic celebrations in this movie are joyous in spite of the hideous and exhausting violence that forms a sort of context for them. One character sums up the movie's "philosophy" when she says something like, "tolerate the differences, and enjoy life" (I'm paraphrasing—don't remember the exact wording). Toleration, in this case, doesn't mean pretending they're not there; it means seeing them, fighting about them, crying and yelling about them, and dancing at a wedding anyway. To me, that's what comedy is about.I was reminded of Sullivan's Travels while watching this movie (and while listening to the director talk about it afterward). In Sullivan's Travels, a comedic filmmaker decides to make a serious film about the "plight of the poor" in America. After striving to understand the experience of poverty in America, he decides to make a comedy instead, realizing that his gifts would be better used in providing laughter in an unfunny world than trying to "make a statement" that would only tell the poor what they already knew while telling the rich nothing they cared to understand.David and Layla fits into that tradition—it's a comedy that says, "the world is hard, and its problems can't be solved by a movie, but let me remind you that there is still love, there is still joy, and there is still dancing." When it comes right down to it, the movie is much more about love, sex, celebrating, and family than it is about "politics." P.S. Many of the comments on IMDb refer to a sort of "beta" version of the movie that made the festival circuit last year (2006). This (summer 2007) version is complete, so it's production values are generally better, and the music for the score is finished.

hawbesh At last we have produced and seen the Kurdish-Hollywood film (David & Layla). It was a really fantastic and the best first Kurdish-Jewish film I have ever seen it in my life. We should recommend and encourage anyone to see it.Shiva Rose and David Moscow as David & Layla give the best performance in this amazingly and lovely romantic film.Also, I wished to ask the genius Director (Joy Jonroy) that why he couldn't have an opportunity to take David & Layla back to their own background country and take some films of the current condition and view of the natural Kurdistan and Israel? With the best of luck for his next project,