MOVIES | DVD

David and Layla

In case you missed it
David Moscow, Shiva Rose and Callie Thorne
Directed by J. Jonroy Avani

Rodney Kings’ immortal and oft-quoted words, “Why can’t we all get along?” come to mind upon viewing “David and Layla,” (2005) the poor man’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” The politically correct brigade, now counting pretty much everyone, has praised this ridiculous and trite movie where, hurray, people of different backgrounds finally get along.

The Layla of the title is an Iranian Kurd from a traditional family, David is a New Yorker Jew from a traditional family. The two families are aghast when Layla and David fall in love and decide to marry. The story writes itself—thwarted lovers, minor clashes of civilization, all the expected.

There is not one funny incident or one witty line of dialogue throughout the plodding effort that leads to, what else, a wedding where grievances are forgotten or forgiven, everyone loves everyone, traditions are reconciled and we discover, surprise, that it isn’t so much our differences that divide us but our common humanity that unites us. Kudos to director Jay Jonroy for a remarkably banal work, making us long for a very un-pc selection board that would decide which movies should never, never, be allowed to make it to the screen.