Summary

• Letitia Wright's powerful portrayal of Aisha brings light to the suffering and bureaucracy inherent in navigating the asylum system.
• Aisha's heartbreaking journey exposes the dehumanizing reality of immigrant struggles everywhere, but her friendship with Josh O'Connor's character is soul-affirming and beautiful.
• Aisha's one-dimensional portrait of politics is unfortunate, but it's ultimately a sobering and truthful film..

A young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland faces a looming deportation to certain death in the new film Aisha, which wounds your soul as a heartfelt, distressing, and dehumanizing journey through the bureaucratic maze of refugee resettlement. A captivating Letitia Wright gives light to the knife's edge panic and fear that an uncertain future brings. The film tackles difficult themes with a viewpoint that sometimes paints those against immigration with a generic, cruel brush. That said, there's no denying the harrowing reasons people flee their homelands for safety.

Aisha Osagie (Wright) claps and smiles before a refugee center's dance group is harshly broken up by the center's security guards. Manning (Stuart Graham), the center's contemptible director, lambasts them for not properly reserving the room. Aisha receives similar treatment when trying to get her mail at the front desk. The guard demands to see her identification card, even though he clearly knows who she is. The tall and meek Conor (Josh O'Connor), a former prisoner applying for a job in security, witnesses this callous interaction.

The delay causes Aisha to miss her bus. Her boss at the beauty salon isn't happy she's late. Aisha's reminded she's lucky to have a work permit. Aisha returns to the refugee center and waits in line for the computer. She tells her mother, Moraya (Rosemary Aimiyekagbon), of being nervous about her upcoming asylum interview. Aisha has waited two long years to state her case. Moraya advises her daughter to tell them the awful truth. She cannot hide what was done to her and her family.

Watch a Clip from Aisha Below:

Letitia Wright Is Masterful in a Stark Realist Drama

Conor sees Aisha the next morning at the bus stop. They can both sense a deep hurt in each other. Later that day, Conor watches as Manning refuses to let her use the microwave. Aisha doesn't believe he's serving the Muslims certified halal meat. Conor decides to break the rules — he'll let her into the kitchen at night. She appreciates his kindness, but cannot explain why she left Nigeria. Aisha gets an alarming notice the following day. Manning wants her relocated for insubordination.

Aisha's arduous odyssey through the Irish asylum process is shown with stark realism. Her case doesn't warrant any special consideration despite an acknowledgment of viable threats in Nigeria. To the system, she's just another immigrant applicant jumping through hoops for a sliver's chance to stay. Writer/director Frank Berry (I Used to Live Here, Michael Inside) avoids melodrama depicting red-tape. The officials interviewing Aisha aren't unfeeling or unaware of her situation's severity. They have to follow Irish law and must adjudicate as such.

The traumatized Aisha can't just robotically recount her terrifying ordeal. The inability to clearly elucidate graphic and personal crimes works against her. These scenes are absolutely brutal in their coldness. Her demeanor is paramount to credibility. She's a victim forced to publicly relive horror in a desperate hope for salvation. Wright is masterful in trying to maintain composure without breaking down. Aisha's dignity always hangs by a thread. Tears will flow like rivers at further tragic news.

Josh O'Connor Is Great in a Biased Movie

Berry uses long tracking shots to keep Aisha front and center. He wants the audience to always be aware of her physical movement. It's an unnerving tactic that succeeds in illustrating her sense of dispossession. Aisha's a leaf blowing in the winds of fate. She has no power to make any decisions. This understandably becomes more grating with zero recourse against abusive behavior. What can she say or do to stop local harassment? Aisha bottles her angst, fear, and resentment to an agonizing breaking point. You can push someone until they fall. The choice to get back up and continue fighting requires every drop of fortitude.

Aisha won't allow herself to be fragile, but she aches for warmth and kindness. Conor cannot help but become entranced by her. His motivations are born from a genuine understanding of being lost. They are kindred spirits magnetically drawn together. The film slowly reveals his backstory as Aisha gathers the strength to tell hers. There's much unsaid between the two. The bond between them grows as each character learns to trust again. Josh O'Connor is beautifully compassionate in a tender supporting performance.

A thorny question arises that strikes at the heart of the divisive immigration debate. Why should Ireland, or any country for that matter, spend limited resources on those who enter illegally? Is there a sufficient moral argument to care for refugees when native citizens could also benefit from that help? Berry believes that duty is sacred and portrays those who disagree negatively. This is where the film lacks a degree of balance. A different opinion doesn't mean unbridled xenophobia and bigotry.

Aisha Is Lucid and Honest

Aisha's finale is sobering and truthful. Berry deserves credit for not being heavy-handed either way. Some may be disappointed, but Aisha's story isn't cut and dry. Refugees linger in gray areas with dreams for a better life, but they must continue living regardless.

Aisha is currently in limited theatrical release and available on demand from Corner Stone Films, Screen Ireland, and BBC Films, et al. You can rent or purchase it on YouTube, Apple TV, or Fandango at Home, or through Google Play below:

Watch Aisha