Filmfest review: I Can’t Think Straight at TIGLFF
October 16, 2009 at 6:56 pm by Courtney Bishop
Two rich families move to London. Girl meets girl at a tennis match. Girl, Leyla, begins to question her feelings about her boyfriend, and more so, about her sexuality. Other girl, Tala, fights the temptation that Leyla dangles in front of her because she’s engaged and she says that people just can’t live like that — as in two women can’t be together in a romantic relationship.
Girl, Leyla, is heartbroken that Tala won’t budge, but uses the inspiration that Tala provides her as fuel to find herself. Time passes and girl and girl get set up on a dinner date by their friends. Although girl, Tala, has broken things off with her fiancé, she still hasn’t come out to her parents. This disappoints Leyla. Girl and girl go their separate ways.
Girl, Tala, finally comes out to her parents. She rushes over to Leyla’s to make celebration love. The chemistry between the women is palpable; there is a true sense of romance. Girl tells girl that she needs a bigger flat because girl, Tala, told her parents that she and Leyla will start having kids soon.
Then Jill Sobule’s “I Kissed a Girl” begins to play.
Two lesbian stereotypes splattered across the screen in a matter of seconds.Shamim Sarif’s I Can’t Think Straight is…well…good. It really doesn’t stir up any type of strong emotion one way or the other. It just kind of is. It’s slated to be one of the major films at TIGLFF this year, but there are definitely more praiseworthy performances and poignant storylines out there.
Girl and girl are presumed to live happily ever after. Fri. Oct. 16, 7 p.m., Tampa Theatre —Courtney Bishop
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