- Director
- Zeshawn Ali
- Rating
- n/a
- Running Time
- 81 minutes
- Release Date
- May 28th, 2020 (Hot Docs Online)
Overall Score
Rating Summary
Two Gods follows, Hanif, a Muslim casket maker and ritual body washer living in Newark, New Jersey. Besides his regular job, he has another responsibility: taking two young men under his wing to teach them his profession and to guide them through life: Furquan, a 12-year-old coming from a rough home and Naz, a struggling 17-year-old. Hanif easily becomes a reference for these two youngsters who rely on him when problems of their lives become too complicated to handle. Furquan’s home becomes even more turbulent and Naz gets caught in a serious arrest.
Two Gods as a film plays off as a coming-of-age story featuring two kids with problems and a mentor figure, helping them navigate the transition into adulthood. Hanif worries he is failing these kids, when in fact he is strengthening their own individuality, emotionally preparing them for dark times, and to face the problems they already face. But the film also deals sees the clashing between religion and the reality of the streets. Is it possible to (maybe) naively follow a religion belief while also dealing with the very disturbing facts one is put up against in real life?
Ali doesn’t force the narrative onto us; his style is very laid back, witnessing the lives and the problems without pushing itself into the drama. That’s a great directorial choice, because it gives us the chance to feel the relationships with ease. We get to understand these characters lives in a very soft and natural way, and it instantly creates a bond between these people and us in the audience. Instead of manipulating the narrative for more cinematic impact, we witness their lives unfolding, their aches and concerns being presented to us very naturally. It only powers the strength of the film. Additionally, Hanif is a great role model, a great mentor type. His concerns that he might be failing the kids is especially touching. Furquan and Naz are two very charismatic subjects, and they make us care for them very easily.
Besides the emotional journey, Two Gods simply makes for great cinema too. The cinematography, all in black and white, creates an almost parallel universe for the main subjects. It’s like entering their own private worlds. It helps us dive into their stories more easily and focus our attention to what matters , their relationships, their conflicts. The cinematography is a perfect match of the director’s style, and their combination only enhances the qualities of the movie.
In the end, when it comes to Two Gods, it’s impossible not to be touched by the story we just watched.
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