Two energetic titular performances from Kerwin Johnson Jr. and Curtiss Cook Jr. keep Jay Dockendorf's directorial debut, Naz and Maalik enjoyable amongst some pretty preposterous scripting.
These two boys are seriously watchable as two young muslim students spending their day hawking lottery tickets, killing chickens and preparing to come out to their respective parents. Dockendorf's freewheeling day-in-the-lifer makes what it can of the actors' ample chemistry and the pair do well to communicate the difficulties of navigating their sexuality and their faith on the streets of Brooklyn.
When Dockendorf strays beyond Naz and Maalik's personal space though things get a little dicey, especially when the boys come face to face with New York's most incompetent FBI community liaison (Annie Grier). A little consultation with the FBI may have given a little more street cred to Dockendorf laughable attempt to represent the soft oppression of racial profiling. His screenplay doesn't do the film or the poor actor any favours.
Thankfully, these strange tonal anomalies can be eaten around. Naz and Maalik's rare viewpoint on urban NYC still delivers on it promise. Breezy, bright cultural drama.
★★★
Trailer:
Naz & Maalik screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2016.
You can check out other films from the festival here.
You can check out other films from the festival here.
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