Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Subject is oddly sidelined in violent faith-based epic.
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The Lady of Heaven
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE LADY OF HEAVEN, when young Laith (Gabriel Cartade) loses his mother in war-torn Iraq, he stays with a family where matriarch Bibi (Denise Black) tells him the story of Fatima, daughter of the Prophet Muhammed. Here, the plot travels back in time over 1400 years to the city of Medina, where the Islamic religion is born, and Fatima undergoes her journey of compassion and generosity, but also suffering.
Is It Any Good?
This movie hasn't been without its controversy, which is sometimes the case with faith-based films. What The Lady of Heaven does is tell a version of the origins of the Islamic religion, following the Prophet Muhammad, his successor, Ali, and the man who would go on to succeed him, Abu Bakr (Ray Fearon). Fatima, though the character in the title of the film, feels like a presence on the sidelines that never quite takes center stage. Her faith and humanity are expressed strongly, but the story rarely allows her to take the lead, and we're left with an imprint rather than a strong idea of who she was. Part of this may be because she isn't portrayed by any single actor, in keeping with the belief of some Muslims that it's forbidden to visually portray prophets and holy people. While shrouding in white and ethereal lighting is atmospheric, it doesn't allow us any closer to the woman who's expected to be at the center of the story. That aside, the split timeline between 2014 Iraq and the 622 AD origins story works fairly well in providing more modern context, but there are a lot of clichés at play, and the lengthy run time doesn't help in maintaining attention.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the difficulties and controversies of telling faith-based stories on-screen in films like The Lady of Heaven. What do you understand of the controversies behind this film? Can you think of other faith-based movies that have caused offense to some within that religion? Discuss the balance between respect and artistic freedom.
Discuss the film's violence. Did it seem realistic, or over-the-top? Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Characters showed courage, perseverance, integrity, and empathy. Why are these important character strengths? Why can it be difficult sometimes to show these in times of threat or danger?
The movie has two separate timelines. What effect did that have on the telling of the story? Were you able to identify with characters in both timelines? Did you think Bibi telling the story of Fatima to young Laith worked as a framing device?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 10, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : December 23, 2022
- Cast : Denise Black , Gabriel Cartade , Ray Fearon , Oscar Salem
- Director : Eli King
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Black British Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Vision Films
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Integrity , Perseverance
- Run time : 141 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong/bloody violence
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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