Signature Move

Here’s a fun fact about Signature Move: Michael Shannon was an executive producer on it. You know, that tall, intense actor from Take Shelter, The Little Drummer Girl and most notably his Oscar-worthy (but snubbed) performance as the villain in The Shape of Water. I don’t know why Michael Shannon executive produced this lesbian romantic comedy about a Latina and a Pakistani woman who fall in love but I’m totally here for unexpected lesbian ally Michael Shannon.

Signature Move follows Pakistani immigration lawyer Zaynab. Zaynab lives with her mother, who doesn’t go out or interact with anyone other than Zaynab. Her mother spends her time watching TV and using her binoculars to search for a husband for Zaynab. Of course, Zaynab is a lesbian though she is not out to her mother. At her job, Zaynab meets Jayde who pays for Zaynab’s legal services by offering her wrestling lessons. Elsewhere, Zaynab meets Alma. Largely due to Alma’s efforts, the two begin a relationship. It is revealed that Alma is Jayde’s daughter but this really doesn’t affect the story much. What is more crucial to the story is Zaynab’s struggle to introduce Alma, their relationship and her sexuality to her mother.

What works about this movie is its focus on Pakistani and Latino cultures. Co-written by people from these cultures, there is truth to the depiction and it never delves into stereotypes. The blending of these cultures through Zaynab and Alma’s relationship is also well done. There is both solid discussion and comedy about the similarities and differences between Zaynab and Alma’s background. This is all summed up nicely when Alma introduces Zaynab’s mother to telenovellas and Zaynab’s mother gets really into them as they are similar to her own Pakistani soap operas.

The main problem with Signature Move is that somewhere along the way, there was a miscommunication as to whether or not the movie is a comedy. It should be. It’s short, it’s fluffy and there are some solid jokes. However, it’s shot and edited more like a drama. The jokes are well-written but fall flat in execution. They needed to be more punctuated to reach their full potential. As it stands, the comedy beats keep falling flat even though the words the characters are saying are often funny.

Signature Move had the potential to be really funny. However, the bizarre choice to direct the film in a style more suited to drama really stopped the script from reaching its full potential. The cross-cultural romance stuff is still good and the main relationship is likeable but damn, directorial and editing choices were made and they were the wrong ones. Also, like this review, the movie ends too soon and abruptly.

Overall rating: 5.9/10

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