Movie Review - Breaking Fast (PrideFLIX)

This is the feature debut of writer-director Mike Mosallam. It's an adaptation of his 2015 short film of the same name, which was about a young gay Muslim living in Los Angeles. The short focuses on his relationship with a handsome and charming, white man who questions if being gay and Muslim are mutually exclusive. It's a minor question though. A more major question is the white man dealing with the loss and actual death of his previous long-term boyfriend. The Muslim then cooks for the white man during Ramadan in the time period that a Muslim is allowed to eat and it's seemingly the start of a new relationship. For this feature, instead of one night, we see this relationship play out over the course of the entire month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the holy month where Muslims fast or abstain from food, drink and impure thoughts and activities, which specifically means sexual thoughts and activities. Muslims must abstain from sunrise to sunset but are allowed to eat and drink again during the night. The meal during this time is called "iftar." Eating this specific meal is typically done in a group setting and it's called "breaking fast." Given the import of restricting food and then indulging in it again, it's no wonder why Mosallam has made food such an important element of this film. One could say food is itself a character in this story. I probably shouldn't go as far as calling it food porn, but there is a significant level of culinary delight.

Haaz Sleiman (Those People and The Visitor) stars as Mo, an gastroenterologist living in Los Angeles. He's Lebanese and comes from an immigrant family. He's a practicing Muslim and he's openly gay. He's living what some call a rare existence. He's privileged in that his parents and brother accept him and don't care about his sexuality. In fact, homophobia, whether internalized or externalized, is something that Mo never has to face. It's not the case that Mosallam has created a reality where homophobia doesn't exist at all and doesn't in some tangential fashion touch Mo, but Mo is in a place where that isn't a daily concern.

It's actually been a year since Mo has broken up with his boyfriend, Hassan, played by Patrick Sabongui (The Flash and Homeland). Mo has been reluctant to date again. He has to be pushed by his best friend, Sam, played by Amin El Gamal (Good Trouble and Prison Break). Sam is more flamboyant and more aggressive in his pursuit of gay relationships. Sam is also from a Muslim family, though he doesn't practice like Mo does. Sam doesn't pray like Mo does. Sam doesn't read the Koran. Sam certainly doesn't fast for Ramadan. The reason that Sam doesn't practice is because of the violence perpetrated by Muslims, specifically the homophobic violence against gay men, so Sam wants no part. Mo's defense of Islam leads to a fiery fight between Mo and Sam. It's interest to see later that the conflict for Mo isn't in realizing whether Islam is a violent or dangerous religion. His conflict is more the privilege or bubble that he's placed himself, which blinds him to certain negative things.

Michael Cassidy (Men at Work and The O.C.) co-stars as Kal, a friend of Sam's boyfriend. Kal meets Mo at Sam's 25th birthday party. He's a tall, handsome actor who is also openly gay, and has been since he was a kid. He's a white guy, but he speaks Arabic, having lived in Jordan with his parents and brother. Unlike with Mo's family, we never meet Kal's family and this is purposeful, as Kal's family life will stand in stark contrast to Mo, not because Kal's family is homophobic but because of other issues that Kal doesn't want to talk about. Whether or not Mo can handle those issues is part of the film's ultimate conflict.

One thing should be pointed out that's a bit of meta-commentary. For a date, Kal takes Mo to a movie theater to see Superman (1978). The irony was not lost on me that Cassidy was himself in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Cassidy had been in a Superman movie and was now playing a character who is a fan of and is watching a Superman movie.

There are funny moments aplenty. A gag involving balloons and one involving juggling lemons are the most subtly amusing. Most of the comedy is low-key or watching the chemistry between Sleiman and Cassidy. Gamal is able to steal some comedic moments here-and-there too. The only real huge gag is a towel drop scene that is really the only time the film goes for something a bit over-the-top, humor-wise. There is a great scene between Mo and his mother, played by Rula Gardenier. She could just be dismissed as the nagging mom and wife, but, the scene somehow manages not to fall into that cliché. The only real complaint is the fact that Veronica Cartwright who plays Judy, the stepmom to Kal, only gets one brief scene. Otherwise, this film is a lovely, little confection.

If you're curious about more films about a gay Muslim, there are various others. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) is probably the most iconic, though Ian Iqbal Rashid's Touch of Pink (2005) is a Canadian film that is probably the first film I saw with a gay Muslim. There were two Israeli films involving gay Muslims, The Bubble (2007) and Out in the Dark (2013). My Brother the Devil (2013) is another cool, British gem, but one of my all-time favorite films involving gay Muslims in America is Naz & Maalik (2016). Sleiman was also a gay Muslim in his previous feature, Those People (2016).

Not Rated but contains brief nudity

Running Time: 1 hr. and 32 mins.

Available on PrideFLIX.