It is easy for us to forget. And when I say us, I mean people who are privileged to be born in the United States. To go further, I mean people who were born white in the United States. Those of us who are old enough to be adults during 9/11 should also remember the blatant hatred, racism, and attacks toward people (shockingly, always of a different skin tone) who were assumed to be terrorists during that time. The Department of Homeland Security created the slogan “If you see something, say something” based off of the terrorist attack, and it has been a saying that has stayed with us as a country. Sadly, it has been mostly an excuse to point the finger at people who look different than our view of an “American.” And as much as we would like to forget that time, we shouldn’t. We shouldn’t because we still have not learned the lessons necessary, many of which are detailed in If You See Something.
The film follows Ali (Adam Bakri), an Iraqi doctor, who is seeking asylum in the United States. As it opens, Ali is in the car with his girlfriend, Katie (Jess Jacobs), and his best and only surviving friend from Iraq, Dawod (Hadi Tabbal). Dawod tells a story from back home, discussing how Ali insisted on avoiding traffic, which ended up saving their lives, avoiding a car bomb explosion. This story, beautifully told, along with Katie’s shocked reaction, really sets the stage for not only why Ali needs asylum, but also the stark differences between the romantic partners.
But director Oday Rasheed refuses to take the easy way out. There is no flashback to carnage, because that would be a cheap way to engender immediate sympathy. Instead, he and the writers (Jess Jacobs and Avram Ludwig) are much more interested in human relationships. As Bakri and Jacobs spend more screen time together, there is a sense of warmth and tenderness rarely seen in onscreen partnerships. Yes, there is sexual chemistry, but more than that, there is a comfort clearly shown between the two actors, which provides not only a rooting interest but also a chance to believe that this is a real couple. Frankly, there are times when you wish there were less conflict because Ali and Katie, despite some barriers, seem to fit so perfectly together. But this is no romantic comedy, so there is conflict aplenty.
Smartly, the script creates friction on many fronts. Ali must practice for his amnesty interviews, he is attending his first family dinner with Katie’s family–including her pregnant sister, her sister’s boyfriend, and her at least mildly disapproving father–, and then real tragedy strikes. On the way to this dinner, he receives word that Dawod has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. Bakri (who also starred this year in All That’s Left of You) gives a stunning, insular performance throughout, even when making decisions that Katie does not fully understand. His secretiveness, pain, and haunted memories all play out across his face in ways that are clear but never obvious. This is a gift to the film, not only because it allows us inside his character’s mind, but also provides drama for Jacobs to play off of, without ever making her seem unaware. When the two fight over decisions and communication, the audience feels real pain for both of them, which is necessary for the good of the film as a whole.
The performances here are so good that they make one almost forget (but certainly easily forgive) some minor missteps in plotting and style. Cinematographer Daniel Vecchione creates some interesting moments where we see bits of Ali’s past through dark, dreamy sequences. These are mildly effective, but we get much more from Barki’s performance in the current day. There are also plot details that feel left out, and the audience is left to fill in blanks which could have been quite interesting to explore. But nevertheless, film is effective enough to be thought-provoking, empathetic, and, in moments, deeply wounding. The further we get from difficult moments in our collective past, the easier it becomes to brush these stories aside. If You See Something thankfully forces us to remember that none of these problems have been solved, and worse, most of them have either been swept under the rug or made much worse.
If You See Something will debut in New York theaters on October 31, 2025, courtesy of Joint Venture. The film will expand nationwide on November 14th.
If You See Something thankfully forces us to remember that none of these problems have been solved, and worse, most of them have either been swept under the rug or made much worse.
Dave is a lifelong film fan who really got his start in the independent film heyday of the 90’s. Since then, he has tried to branch out into arthouse, international, and avant garde film. Despite that, he still enjoys a good romcom or action movie. His goal is to always expand his horizons, through writing and watching new movies.
