I initially thought 'Yasmin' was going to be just another preachy 9/11 aftermath flick but I was pleasantly surprised. It tells the story of a young Muslim British who leads a double life. There is a Yasmin who wears a burka when she's out in her neighbourhood, who cooks for her father and brother and who is only legally married to a potential immigrant. Then there's a Yasmin who wears modern Western clothes, hangs out at the pub with a colleague she fancies and doesn't mind an occasional drink. She knows that her family and neighbours won't accept this side of her and she knows that her colleagues won't accept the Muslim side of her. However, after 9/11 Yasmin is forced with an identity crisis and it is here that she discovers her strength and the beauty of who she really is. 'Yasmin' never goes over the top which in a way is its strength but also its weakness.
The execution, for one, is too simplistic. The cinematography, the lack of score, the washed out colour look, the sound design, doesn't occasionally feels too dull. There are also some cultural clichés that 'Yasmin' seems to not have been able to escape.
Archie Punjabi is marvelous in the title role. It's a tour du force performance which she plays very subtly unlike the hyped Hollywood performances that beg for an Oscar. The rest of the cast do a decent job, especially the actor playing her husband.
'Yasmin' attempts to tell a different side of the aftermath of the 9/11. Even though it's not shown for more than a few minutes it's still an intriguing perspective and an important story.
