i can't think straight posted by imani , Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 6:14 PM, in Labels: something else

I saw a nice little indie film over the weekend. I can’t think straight is an unconventional romantic film – and I don’t mean to say it’s unconventional because the two female leads fell in love with each other but because they both were in heterosexual relationships before they met and everything changed when their paths crossed and their galaxies collided.

Tala was portrayed by Indo-Canadian actress, Lisa Ray (who by the way is sparkling in this movie – I fell in love the first moment she raised her eyebrow and pouted her lips). She’s the daughter of a wealthy Jordanian couple, and being in the upper echelons of a Middle Eastern society meant being rigid when it comes to following their traditions – which also meant hiding her sexuality from her conservative family.

Tala’s parents were preparing for their daughter’s marriage (she was engaged three times before) when she met Leyla (played by Sheetal Sheth, an American actress of Indian origin), a bubbly, blithe woman her best friend Ali is dating at the moment.

The chemistry between them was apparent the instant they shared a scene. Both were very smart women, but their character’s contrasts were what made the movie appealing. Leyla was free-spirited whilst Tala was sometimes forced to think within the limit set by her stiff upbringing.

Tala saw something unique in Leyla’s unassuming personality, who secretly wanted to be a writer. Friendship blossomed, and it was Tala’s encouragement that allowed Leyla to pursue her dream despite her parent’s disapproval. Tala’s outspoken challenges to Leyla’s beliefs paved way to a journey to self-awareness for Leyla. Before they know it, they were in an affair that’s just too good to miss.

But as the wedding day approaches, Tala’s sense of duty to her family and her country pushed her to leave Leyla, leaving the latter broken hearted but liberated – she finally breaks up with Ali and comes out to her mother and father. Before they parted, Tala told Leyla that 'I can't ruin lives.' Leyla, with certainty and gloom, answered: 'You will. Especially yours.'

The scene where Leyla ‘outed’ herself was actually both funny and touching. Her mother wanted for her to have a ‘normal’ life – that being married to a guy – so when she finally told her parents about her sexuality, her mother went ballistic, saying that ‘she’s up to her neck with her sins.’ Her father, however, provided such a comic relief in a very tense situation. He just came back from work and missed what Leyla just confessed to her mom. So her father blurted out: ‘What did I miss?,’ to which Leyla casually answered: ‘I am gay.’ Her father didn’t miss a note and yelped: ‘But I’ve only been gone two hours!’

Back in Jordan, Tala realized that she cannot live a lie forever and be married to a man when all she really wants is to be with Leyla. Tala calls everything off on the day of the wedding and her dad sent all the food to the camps (wehehe). She immediately flew back to London, only to find out that Leyla has come out to her parents but is currently dating another woman.

Tala tried to win Leyla back, but Leyla believes that ‘we make it their business everytime we choose our life, who we are with and why we are with them.’ Tala finally tells her mom and her dad – that she’s a lesbian and she’s in love with a beautiful, intelligent, talented, clumsy…woman.

The film tells us but one thing - that emotion is universal. That love is love no matter who we love. That if we are not upfront about who we are, we only risk hurting ourselves. That regardless of age, race, or gender, we will always be conflicted with issues, but there is always something to hope for, we will always find something worth saving and worth fighting for.

The movie ends with the lead characters taking on a journey for what they feel and believe in and stand for, after a long and winding road to self discovery.