Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother: Mahershala Ali Plays A Devout Muslim Hitman In Bassam Tariq's Houston Thriller

The title is strange, and so is the film, in the best way. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, in US cinemas from today via Amazon MGM Studios, puts two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in a role unlike anything he has played: a devoutly religious hitman who is also a grieving single father.

For South Asian and Muslim diaspora audiences, it is also a rare studio-backed genre film led by a Muslim character and made by a Pakistani-American filmmaker.

What The Film Is About

Ali plays Latif, a hitman whose wife dies and leaves him to raise three children, including a newborn. Desperate to protect them, he sets off across Houston as dangerous forces close in, while his faith starts to come apart under the pressure. Along the way, the film pulls in a sex worker caught between a cultural influencer and a self-righteous pastor, turning the story into a clash of belief systems in Texas.

Cast And Director

John Cho plays Kwan, a religious leader, and the cast also includes Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone and Laith Nakli. Bassam Tariq writes and directs. His earlier film Mogul Mowgli, starring Riz Ahmed, won attention for its take on British-Pakistani identity, and he was named the Rising Talent recipient at this year's TIFF Tribute Awards alongside the film's premiere.

What Critics Are Saying

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, and reviews have been strong. Critics have singled out Ali's performance as among the best of the year, praising how much he conveys through movement and fight choreography. The film mixes samurai-movie influences with family drama and religious questions, and it ends on a bold choice that is likely to split audiences. It runs about 112 minutes.

Quick Facts

• Film: Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

• Director and writer: Bassam Tariq

• Cast: Mahershala Ali, John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, Laith Nakli

• Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios

• Release: September 25, 2026 (US)

• Runtime: Approx. 112 minutes

• Genre: Action / crime drama

FAQs

What is Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother about?

A devoutly religious hitman, newly widowed, fights to protect his three children across Houston while his faith is tested.

Who directed it?

Bassam Tariq, the director of Mogul Mowgli.

Where did it premiere?

At the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2026.

Will it stream on Prime Video?

It is an Amazon MGM release, so a Prime Video release is likely after its theatrical run, but no date has been announced.