Great performances ‘Is God Is’ will leave you with questions and in deep thought

How would you respond if a parent you thought did not survive a tragic event asked you to do the unthinkable during their dying days? That is the dilemma facing the two stars of “Is God Is,” starring Harlem native and two-time Tony Award winner Kara Young and Mallori Johnson as twin sisters Racine and Anaia.

Through a flashback scene, we learn that both Racine and Anaia were badly burned in a fire as children. Anaia’s scars are more visible and cover her face, making her the more timid of the twins and forcing Racine to assume the protector role. “Is God Is” is written, produced, and directed by Aleshea Harris, an adaptation of her 2018 play of the same name.

When contacted by their mother, Ruby, played by NAACP Image Award-winner Vivica A. Fox, she asks them to not only confront their father, but to also physically harm him. This leads the twins on a journey to confront their birth father, simply called Man, played by three-time Emmy Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee Sterling K. Brown.

Along the way, the twins encounter the very comical evangelist Divine, played superbly by NAACP Image Award-winner Erika Alexander, who is waiting for Man to return home. The twins also meet Divine’s son with Man, their brother Ezekial, played by Josiah Cross, who resurfaces later in the film.

Racine and Anaia also encounter the attorney who is responsible for Man being free, Chuck Hall, played by Mykelti Williamson, who I would describe as the type of lawyer who would have a late-night commercial on a Black entertainment television station.

As the twins finally discover where their father lives, they learn that he has built a new life with his current lover, Angie, played by actress, singer, and songwriter Janelle Monáe. She lives with Man and his second set of twins, sons Scotch and Riley, played by Xavier Mills and Justen Ross. The film expertly takes you on a journey that ultimately leads you to the twins confronting the person responsible for not only their injuries but also those of their mother — the monstrous Man.

The Black-women-led film is filled with tremendous performances, starting with Young and Johnson, who finish each other’s sentences and read each other’s minds like twins often do. In her directorial debut, based on a play she wrote, Harris creates authentic characters that, like most of us, can be messy and ask the unthinkable. Not only are they far from perfect, but you will certainly second-guess or outright disagree with many of the decisions made by the characters in the film.

On a personal note, I saw a screening of the film during a very disturbing news cycle in the New York City area and nationwide. Two 15 year olds, one in Queens and one on Long Island, were senselessly murdered; an ex-Virginia politician killed his wife and himself; and a man killed eight children in Shreveport. The film immediately inspired thoughts of art imitating life, and vice versa and, no matter how difficult the themes of the cinematic piece, actions as bad — or even worse — occur in the world. Ultimately, art, whether in film or other media, should help us heal from the most significant traumas of our lives. A brief escape from reality as we navigate difficult news cycles and personal tragedies.

Check your local theater listings so you do not miss the chance to experience “Is God Is.”