Layla

Amrou Al-Kadhi’s debut trades in any unique qualities that a queer film can exhibit in terms of form and content, with the tried and tested formula of the palatable, cheesy odd couple romance.

It’s a bland, flip-flopping central romance, topped off with some sub-Oprah sentiment about self-empowerment.

Layla has found their tribe -- and it’s here that first-time director Amrou Al-Kadhi, also a drag artist, excels, capturing the sparkling, sensual spectacle of the queer club circuit.

[Layla] uses a very enticing screen sensibility to tell a story that has depth, clearly told from a very personal point of view.

I couldn’t help feeling that in the end the film could have done more to acknowledge the complexity of Max’s heartbreak, but it’s carried by a winning performance from Hasna.

While there is a palpable tenderness in the love scenes -- along with a dash of kink -- Layla flirts with romantic drama without ever quite committing.

Writer-director Amrou Al-Kadhi refreshingly resists creating characters who are easy to pigeon-hole, and situations don't resolve themselves in tidy ways we've grown to expect on-screen.

… a daring film that not only explores queerness from a Non-Western perspective but also challenges the norms of how LGBT characters are portrayed in mainstream media. It's a joy to watch.

It’s charming and raises some interesting themes about queer identity and families, both chosen and biological, but the script could have done with another go to provide some more thematic clarity and smooth it out a little.

Layla is an engrossing, lively feature debut by Amrou Al Kadhi, charting the story of a drag queen who searches for their identity amidst a whirlwind romance.