Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

Taking its cryptic title from a common Islamic hadith, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is propelled by an underlying sense of mystery.

A deeply felt performance by Mahershala Ali propels this intriguing character-driven thriller about a single father trying to reconcile his faith with the reality of his circumstances.

Ali plays Latif, who’s burdened by grief following his wife’s death, leaving him as the sole caretaker for three children, including an infant with a sensitive stomach averse to baby formula. He’s a devout Muslim living in Houston who happens to also be a hitman — something he’s managed to conceal from the kids.

“It’s time to put down the gun,” insists Latif’s father-in-law (Giancarlo Esposito), a prominent imam trying to steer violence away from his tight-knit community. He’s also become estranged from his doctor brother (Tramell Tillman).

Latif wants a fresh start. However, when his late wife’s breast milk runs out, he becomes desperate for a fresh supply. That takes money he doesn’t have, so he feels compelled to accept an offer protecting a slimy teenager (Abubakr Ali) who dabbles in online adult content.

That leads him to a lactating sex worker (Tiffany Boone), which could help resolve his primary issue. But she’s also an object of desire for a gold-toothed pastor (John Cho) who leads a Christian militia full of intolerant gun nuts.

Beneath the deceptively calm and cool demeanor, Latif’s face conveys both anguish and determination at every turn. You sense that some of his hardships are self-inflicted, even if they are rooted in persecution and spiritual crisis.

The incisive screenplay by director Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mowgli) suffers from contrivances yet makes Latif’s sense of parental responsibility relatable without passing judgment on him or belief systems in general. There’s no preaching here.

As a man forced to confront his morality and masculinity, Ali (Moonlight) develops hard-earned sympathy by combining physical dexterity from the brutal action sequences with emotional depth from the film’s moments of quiet contemplation. The portrayal showcases his versatility and understated charisma.

Despite some thinly sketched supporting characters as the film adopts a more conventional cat-and-mouse structure in the second half, it features some stylish visual flourishes. The climactic confrontation is an over-the-top highlight.

Haunting yet hopeful, the film is richly specific while resonating across cultural and geographic boundaries.

Rated R, 111 minutes.