This was a great little film. It is not perfect, obviously low budget, and some of the acting is a bit over the top (the guy's Jewish parents). However, the two leads and others are outstanding and I was totally caught up in their romance. The film is funny, yet catches you off guard with drama and even real suspense and danger as well. Many people have complained about the lack of authenticity in her Kurdish accent or whatever, not that I would noticed since I don't personally know any Kurds! But I loved the film and it's message, and loved the realistic nature of their relationship. They had great chemistry, yet she seemed bitchy at times rather than some perfect angel. He was charming yet also imperfect. Many great moments and lots of romance, laughs, beautiful images, and all around fun. I know it's cliché, but seriously... I laughed! I cried!

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.

I really enjoyed this film! It was full of color, culture, and life! The acting was great and the dialog was fun. I really like how the film deals with the conflicting Muslim and Jewish faiths. I learned a lot about their history and why they have such conflicts. It was a wonderful story about love overcoming multiple obstacles. A Romeo and Juliet story in modern day New York! I liked that the film didn't use any big name actors. I feel like films of this nature really lose their message or their purpose when the roles are filled by people like Angelina Jolie or Edward Norton. These characters seemed so real to me because they weren't some big names in playing parts. There were a lot of stereotypes present in the film, but I think they helped to add to the tension and the discomfort between the two faiths. But David and Layla prove that Judaism and Islam can come together in peace and unity. Their relationship is complicated and beautiful. The best part about this film, though, is that it is a true story. A real story about familial love and true love. It made me happy, and I think it will make others happy too! Everyone should go see it!

Imagine if Borat wrote a romantic comedy about a love affair between a Jew and a Muslim. Now you got it. This foreign writer/director's script about and a love affair in the USA is profoundly bad. I saw this with the writer/director and he openly admits that he never made a movie before –IT SHOWS! Let's start with the plot: David is so taken by the slow-mo vision of Layla walking that he must win her heart. Hilarity is supposed to ensue, right? If splitting your pants, being impotent or gay, and using hard drugs is funny to you. And this is the very Borat-ness of the movie: instead of romantic high jinx the writer/director makes David's stunts creepy, his motives shallow and he is pretty much devoid of any redeeming qualities. (Ok fine mister director, David does interrupt an attempted rape of Layla. "hey baby, where ya going?" Great dialog!) The characters are also bizarrely mismatched. David is a dangerously stupid, impotent, self-castrated man-child who is sexually and emotionally abused by his overbearing girlfriend. This is funny to you, right? Wait for the kicker! The are Jewish! Layla is a beautiful dark and mysterious, independent, Kurdish-Muslim woman whose family/community were brutally killed by Turkish and Iraqi forces (and the ignorance of the West). This is funny too, right? The funny in this movie is creepy and the serious is stacked on top like a mountain of cold fish. And this is a shame too. The Kurdish struggle is serious, here you get the feeling that he wanted to create a vehicle to show these pictures of gassed children. Polemic disguised as romantic comedy.Disturbingly, every Jewish man in the movie is either, impotent, gay, or a fat buffoon, while the Islamic characters are all helpful and try to do the right thing. (I'm an atheist -full disclosure. And coincidentally, I am friends with many of the Muslim shop keepers along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn that figure prominently in the movie.) Jewish ritual is depicted with trivial scenes that do not reflect any depth of faith. Rather they are shown as sweaty, drunken, shekel-counting Americans. If you're thinking you know where this is going, you probably do. Islam is shown reverently. Muslims make funny faces in surprise sometimes, but their depth of belief is clear. In case the viewer is too stupid to get what is going on here, they make sure the Jewish mom faints on her way into the Synagogue when her big-money real estate deal falls through. The director said it took 18 years to make the film, go figure.