Reviews

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  ★★★★½ review by JGeorgeVH on Letterboxd

  The film is very good very creating a very relevant story in today's world. Barkhad Abdirahman delivers a terrific performance that allows us to empathize with his character and brings us through this very complicated story. The film is very good too because it does have something to say about the problem with islamaphobia in the USA today and just struggles with religion in general, but still can focus on Adan. He consistently questions his faith and what he believes because his struggles in life are so hard and you can feel that his struggles actually mean something. There are few moments that feel like its pushing a message. I personally enjoy seeing a Minneapolis film as well because the director also a sense of the city and brings a beautiful view to the masses. The more I think about this film the less I seem to like. Even the small roles seem really smart because there are plenty of conversations Adan has with other groups of people who are also in troubled situations. He is learning about the world and our society as much as people are asking him about Islam. The film isn't flashy, but it still is brilliantly well done at showing the struggles of young Islamic people in this country and the kind of things that we generalize about the people who follow it. And the dog is so good and is probably the cutest thing ever.

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  ★★★½ review by Substream Magazine on Letterboxd

  A Stray probably could have made for a better short, but stretched to a runtime just shy of the 90-minute mark there is barely enough material to reach the finish line. That said, the commanding performance of Barkhad Abdirahman and the beautiful dialogue provided by Syeed makes for a unique experience that matches heart with theology without coming across as being too heavy-handed in its delivery. In a world overflowing with indie films, A Stray is utterly unique, both in the story it has to share and purpose for its existence. The film doesn’t work 100 percent of the time, but what does work will stay with you for many months to come.

  Full review: bit.ly/1MuiIv0

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  ★★★★ review by Joshua Sikora on Letterboxd

  SXSW 2016 — an interesting, at times humorous, story of a Somali refugee trying to honor his faith in a complicated urban world. Although cinematically bland, the film is an insightful and provocative exploration of Muslim life in America.

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  ★★★★ review by Liam O'Donnell on Letterboxd

  subtle but textured and interesting

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