Hala (film)
Hala | |
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Directed by | Minhal Baig |
Written by | Minhal Baig |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Carolina Costa |
Edited by | Saela Davis |
Music by | Mandy Hoffman |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Apple TV+ |
Release dates |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Hala is a 2019 American
Plot
Hala Masood is a seventeen year old
Cast
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Hala Masood
- Jack Kilmer as Jesse
- Purbi Joshi as Eram Masood
- Azad Khan as Zahid Masood
- Gabriel Luna as Mr. Lawrence
- Anna Chlumsky as Shannon Taylor
- Taylor Blim as Melanie
Production
In November 2017, Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack Kilmer, Anna Chlumsky, Gabriel Luna, Purbi Joshi and Azad Khan joined the cast of the film, with Minhal Baig directing from a screenplay she wrote.[2]
Release
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2019.[3] Shortly after, Apple TV+ acquired distribution rights to the film.[4] It was released in a limited theatrical release on November 22, 2019, followed by digital streaming on December 6, 2019.[5]
Reception
Hala received positive reviews from film critics. It holds an 86% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 37 reviews, with an average of 7.4/10.[6] The critics consensus reads, "Supported by a powerful central performance by Geraldine Viswanathan, Hala offers an insightful look at a young woman's journey of self-discovery." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 75 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]
In a positive review for The AV Club, Saloni Gajjar praised the film for shining "a new light on the tropes of teenage self-discovery".[8] Writing for Variety, Amy Nicholson praised Baig's "naturalistic touch" and Viswanathan's performance, saying it proved "her range and, hopefully, longevity".[9] Criticism was directed at the second half of the film, with Beandra July, writing for The Hollywood Reporter, criticizing the film's "choppy, incoherent finish".[10]
References
- ^ Baig, Minhal (March 3, 2018). "Making Movies After #MeToo". The New York Times.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (November 29, 2017). "Newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan to Star in Overbrook's 'Hala' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
- ^ "Sundance Unveils Politics-Heavy Lineup Featuring Ocasio-Cortez Doc, Feinstein Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (January 28, 2019). "Sundance: Apple Takes Jada Pinkett Smith-Produced Drama 'Hala'". Variety. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (September 27, 2019). "Apple Sets Theatrical Release Dates for Original Films 'The Banker,' 'Hala' and 'The Elephant Queen' (EXCLUSIVE)".
- ^ "Hala". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Hala Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
- ^ "The quietly extraordinary Hala is a coming-of-age story that's becoming more common". The A.V. Club. November 27, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ Nicholson, Amy (January 27, 2019). "Film Review: 'Hala'". Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ "'Hala': Film Review | Sundance 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2020.