The Taqwacores

2010 "A powerful, original, and hilariously irreverent story of punk Islam in the USA and the discovery of oneself within the confines of religion."
5.9| 1h23m| en
Details

Yusef, a first-generation Pakistani engineering student, moves off-campus with a group of Muslim punks in Buffalo, New York. His new "un-orthodox" housemates soon introduce him to Taqwacore: a hardcore, Muslim punk-rock scene that only exists out west. As the seasons change, Taqwacore influences the house more and more. The living room becomes a mosque during the day, while it continues to host punk parties at night. Ultimately, Yusef is influenced by Taqwacore too, as he begins to challenge his own faith and ideologies. 'The Taqwacores' deals with the complexities of being young and Muslim in modern-day America.

Director

Producted By

Rumanni Filmworks

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime. Watch Now

Trailers & Clips

Reviews

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets
Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.
InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
losindiscretoscine Even though Muslim punk exists since the beginning of the 80s, it was only in 2003 that this movement was known thanks to Michael Muhammad Knight's book. « The Taqwacores » is therefore based on this book and it was premiered seven years later. Even if the goal of the film is clear, that is showing the existence of this Muslim punk movement in the USA and the trouble in getting in, it hides some surprises and interrogations. Since the characters and the movie do not rebel without any reason, although the violence shown is sometimes too much, it is the consequence of an essential questioning of Islam. The power of the film lies in the director's decision of not taking the same path as other films dealing with religion. « The Taqwacores » does not only go against the flow, but it gives some food for thought: can we worship just a part of the Koran? That is, can we not just take all that is said for granted but also apply our critical sense in order to build our own faith? Can we reverse religious symbols and use them as we please? The film does not give any distinct answers and it does not mean to, but, thanks to some clever realistic dialogues and scenes, it suggests some ideas. And, at the end of the day, we do not ask for more but some ideas to encourage our thinking about a matter that should be better known. Full review on our blog Los Indiscretos : https://losindiscretos.org/2016/12/30/the-taqwacores-2010-eyad-zahra/
djderka I liked this movie because to me it is always an experience to view other cultures and their unique characters. Much like The Graduate and other 'coming of age' films, Yoseuf is a pretty straight laced Muslim viewing all the aberrations of modern youth. I think he is surprised that this is a Middle East version of America where fringes adopt some of our extreme fringes.Yousef encounters a mélange of disaffected youth though his studies here. All the stereotypes are presented: the Mohawk guy, the drag queen, the burka girl, the hot babe, but all having their own identity. As he goes through it all much like Candy did in the 70s film. I liked the characters, the passage of Yoseuf from the offerings of divergent lifestyles, and it is clear his choice at the last shot of the movie.Really hard punk puck, especially the dance party scene. Wow! Kind of reminded me of that crazy dance scene in that 80s film Jacob's Ladder.
John Seal The Taqwacores is, at heart, a fairly typical indie ensemble piece, but with enough new wrinkles to earn it a thumbs-up from yours truly. Based on Michael Muhammad Knight's novel of the same name, it's the story of a group of Buffalo-based Muslim punk rockers rebelling against the strictures of their religion. (There really is a Muslim punk scene, but the bands in the film — Osama's Tunnel Diggers, Bilal's Boulder, and Boxcutter Surprise — are fictional).The film is crudely made, the screenplay a tad stodgy and predictable, and there's not enough music, but the characters — including Rabeya (Noureen DeWulf), the burka-clad 'riot girl' who crosses out the bits of the Qu'ran that she finds misogynistic, and wide-eyed innocent Yusuf (Bobby Naderi), who stumbles into the scene while apartment-hunting — are endearing enough to keep you watching.
natg520 If you liked "Border Radio" or "Clerks" you might like this one. The theme of religion plays a conspicuous role here, though. The characters are young and searching for their own definitions of Islam. It's interesting to see the DIY approach the characters take. It's a sweet story about alienated friends trying to define themselves.The editing and periodic black and white with talk radio blaring bigoted messages provides breaks in the story and relates the lives of the characters to the world. The overall feel of the movie is like those independent films of the late eighties and early nineties.I think that the movie would have been better with more music, but the film does succeed in conveying the seriousness of the Muslim identity in modern America.