Movie Review: "A Stray" follows a young man in search of meaning and prosperity

By Roger Costa

“Once a man was lost in the desert, and somehow found a well to quench his thirsty. There, he saw a dog, and pitying it, he placed water in his shoes and gave it to the dog first; Seeing the man’s actions, God granted him Heaven.”

As many young men of his generation, Adan has been wandering around in search of purpose for his life. A rebellious Somali Refugee, the eldest son of a traditional Muslim family, Adan is aware he must do better and needs to get things straight before they become regretful. He’s going through some harsh times, mostly consequences of his own delinquent behavior, such as stealing from his mother, losing his girlfriend’s respects, and not being able to accomplish any job’s responsibility. As he gets kicked out, he finds shelter at a local mosque, where he will gain knowledge and maturity according to the counselling and wisdom of the Imam. At a desperate turn, Adan halts himself of committing a robbery, which leads him to understand God’s forgiveness and compassion as a series of surprisingly events bring a chance of lifting him up from dirt. The strong bond he develops with the Imam, leads him to cross paths with other helpful figures, such as a restaurant owner, a law agent and a dog he rescues along the way. At first he tries to get rid of the dog, and constantly offers it to everyone he runs into, but eventually he becomes deeply fond of it, a literal metaphor, sort of a mirror, quickly identifiable to his personal condition.

A hit at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and Winner of the Best Narrative Feature Award at Minneapolis International Film Festival, “A Stray” is a raw and touching urban drama about looking for hope in a chaotic contemporary world divided by capitalism and prejudice. Adan is facing dilemmas of pride so common for his age, strongly tempted to venture into crime, but moved by his faith for the contrary. Director Musa Syeed conducts the material with honesty and sensibility, creating an insightful and heartbreaking examination on both aspects of good and evil, as well as the perspectives surrounding Adan’s destiny.

Kenyan Actor Barkhad Abdirahman, who debuted in the big screen playing the terrorist Bilal in the Tom Hanks-Oscar-nominated thriller “Captain Phillips”, gives a strongly affecting performance, captivating and taking the audience along his journey as he quests reconciliation and dignity.