I Can't Think Straight 2008

Liked: I love the leads. They have fantastic chemistry, you can believe the instant attraction between the two, which is key to any romance story. It's refreshing to see an sapphic romance that is not principally American/European centric. There is not enought representation from POC LGBT stories. Many times POC get lumped into a single group, as if the different cultures are interchangeable. They are not. We see Tala and Leyla struggle with the idea of being gay quite differently (based on their backgrounds and society). While Tala moves from broken engagement to broken engagement (which is clearly established from the opening scenes, and reinforced throughout the film) as she tries to live up to the expectations of an Arab society, while she knows she is gay and tries to hide/reject this part of herself. On the other hand, Leyla is British Indian. She has grown up in a more European society (and by most standards a more liberal one), while also being constrained by her the views of her Indian community and culture (as noted by how her mother constantly tries to push a new boyfriend or potential husband). But unlike Tala, Leyla fully embraces who she is once she realizes she is gay (something she points to as why it never worked out with guys).

The majority of the film is Tala and Leyla dancing around their attraction, Tala knowing exactly why she wants to be around Leyla, while Leyla finally figuring out what draws her to Tala. Finally unable to keep apart, the two give in to their attraction, during a romantic getaway to Oxford, away from all the things and the social expectations that keep them apart. Though their romance blossoms while Tala is engaged (her 4th one) and preparing for her wedding, from the very beginning she is portrayed as not being fulfilled in her relationships, there is something missing, even before meeting Leyla. Her struggle is a central part of her journey, just as for Leyla a central part of her journey is figuring out why she is attracted to Tala.

This film also plays with having the romance blossoms while one of the leads is cheating. I'm can overlook this mainly because it is establish from the beginning that Tala has been engaged multiple times and can never go through with it, both via her friends and family, and in a personal conversation with Leyla, explaining that though she might love things about the men she's been engage to, she has never been in love with them. Tala is trapped by the expectations of the society she live in. Once Tala and Leyla give in to their attraction, Leyla points out that Tala has cheated, which Tala knows is wrong but doesn't know what to do, stating that being openly gay is not an option for her, not in the world she comes from. The cheating and hiding who she is as central to Tala's journey and is never diminished as being anything other than wrong (for both her fiancé and her relationship with Leyla) and it's truly unfair of Tala to ask Leyla to be okay with her cheating. Ultimately Leyla breaksup with Tala, unable to accept hidding who she is or their relationship.

One of my favorite part of the film is later in the film, once Leyla has come out to her family and, unbeknownst to her, Tala broke off her engagement the day of her wedding, bump into each other. There is still the pull between them, this unspoken love, anger and regret that simmers under the calm waters of everday life of lovers who were forced to let each other go. This leads into my favorite scene: Leyla and Tala have been set up to dinner, giving them an opportunity to talk without their walls up. And it's everything you wanted it to be. It's them without the worry or expectations of the outside world, just as their trip to Oxford had been, except this time Leyla is out and Tala is no longer attached to a fiance. All they need now is for Tala to take the step and be open and accepting with who she is and who she loves. You literally have Leyla asking Tala to take that step for her, for them. And it is both beautiful and heartbreaking, as Leyla kisses Tala's head as she walks away, daring Tala to metaphorically go after her. The performance and chemistry between the two actresses in this scene seals for me why I love this movie.

In the end we do get Tala taking that finally step toward accepting herself, and toward embracing and being open about her love for Leyla.

Issues: Outside of the leads (and a couple of their siblings/peers), I have a hard time with some of the acting. It feels like actors who are not use to film, either coming from theater or melodramatic acting. Not sure if this is part of casting or a directorial issue. Fortunately the majority of the time we spend with the leads. Also, the film feels like it was filmed with gear and tech from the late 70s/early 80s. It does not have a clean look to it, and feels low quality film and audio. I have to let it go in favor of enjoying the story.

Overall: I really like the movie. Enjoyed the chemistry between the leads, as well as the journey their characters go through. The film doesn't absolve Tala of cheating, as it becomes central to her journey. Would rate this as 7.5.