The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)

I went into the theatre not expecting it to be spectacular but I was wrong. Everything from the acting to the music composition and the dialogue was amazing. Riz Ahmed's performance was terrific. This film sheds light on America's deadly interventions in response to 9/11. A young Pakistani Muslim goes to America, gets an education and becomes successful. When 9/11 occurs, that young man's life is challenged because he is harassed by police and at the same time feeling the pain of his people. But does he become a fundamentalist and goes on a murderous spree on the invaders? Absolutely not. He remains peaceful. The reason is that there is no such thing as fundamentalism in Islam. A person who watches this film will see how peaceful Islam really is. Now that I've seen this film, I will definitely read the book.

Fmovies: As soon as I saw the early credits running right to left I was grabbed by the intelligent Mira Nair, then the rousing singers, sumptuous visuals, disparate actors woven together in this complex, compelling story... wow. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is why I love cinema. This movies imperfections are perfection.

I read Mohsin Hamids exquisite book prior to viewing this fine movie and I almost side- stepped this movie because I didn't feel Hamids books subtle yet intense conversation would be translated onto the big screen. How wrong I was - thank you Mira Nair and all those involved.

I walked out of this movie and clicked my heels - the sun was shining and the world was travelling just fine in far more places than most realise.

This beautiful movie is about how the new era of fear is dividing East and West, featuring UK-based writer Mohsim Hamid's critically acclaimed book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, about the impact of Sept 11th on Muslims living abroad post 9/11 attacks & its psychological and political damage. It's a tale of mixed loyalties and one man's journey into the heart of the conflict.

Hamid has published a novel about the aftermath of September 11th. It's based on a character whose life mirrors his own accomplishments, but whose subsequent journey and fate is very different. The book is entitled "The Reluctant Fundamentalist".

The main character, Chengez, is living in New York at the time of the attacks. The new western hostility towards his country, to his people, and to an ancient and complex civilization shocks Chengez, to the core. He feels as though he has to take sides. Then, quite simply, he has a crackup, followed by a mysterious journey back to Pakistan that may or may not lead to the embrace of fundamentalism.

At a café table in Lahore, a bearded Pakistani man converses with an uneasy American stranger. As dusk deepens to night, he begins the tale that has brought them to this fateful encounter . . .

Changez is living an immigrant's dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he works at the elite valuation firm of Underwood Samson. He thrives on the energy of New York, and his budding romance with elegant, beautiful Erica promises entry into Manhattan society at the same exalted level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore.

But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his budding relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. The romance is negligible; Erica is emotionally unavailable, endlessly grieving the death of her lifelong friend and boyfriend, Chris. And Changez's own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and maybe even love.

Told in a single monologue, the narrative never flags. Changez is by turn's naive, sinister, unctuous, mildly threatening, overbearing, insulting, angry, resentful, and sad.

Changez is in Manila on 9/11 and sees the towers come down on TV. He tells the American, "...I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may sound, my initial reaction was to be remarkably pleased... I was caught up in the symbolism of it all, the fact that someone had so visibly brought America to her knees..." When he returns to New York, there is a palpable change in attitudes toward him, starting right at immigration. His name and his face render him suspect.

He exorcises that feeling and once again appreciates his home for its "unmistakable personality and idiosyncratic charm." While at home, he lets his beard grow. Advised to shave it, even by his mother, he refuses.

His company sends him to Istanbul for another business valuation; his mind filled with the troubles in Pakistan and the U.S. involvement with India that keeps the pressure on. Beautiful screenplay and great Urdu- English blend of dialogues makes it really worth a watch on the big screen.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist fmovies. Haunting adaptation with a soundtrack that is poignant and moves rhythmically with the movie - the song in the second half "mori araj suno" (hear my plea) is heartbreakingly apt and stays with you long after the movie is over.

Incorrectly categorized as a thriller, this movie is a slow philosophical debate over whether some aspects of the war on terror has alienated "asians" towards the other side.....Mira Nair has done an excellent adaptation - the narrative is crisp yet detailed and effectively raises questions which should be debated. This world is not the dichotomy created by Bush with his "either you are with us or against us" speech. The subject matter has been handled with delicacy - giving the lead - Changez - time to develop and pull at our heartstrings.

For the most part Nair gives an authentic impression of Lahore and Pakistan. As a current Lahore resident, even the slightest aberration from authenticity grates, so my apologies to those who found the movie clean in its depiction.

Riz Ahmed as Changez gives a performance that is the core of the movie - his slow slide towards what he perceives his identity to be is painful to watch and is sad because it is so unnecessary. Excellent at conveying a range of emotion through his eyes alone, Riz looks and acts the part, valiantly also maintaining an authentic Pakistani Urdu accent for much of the movie.

Kudos to Liev Schreiber for taking control of the character and introducing thin layers of empathy and antagonism which are palpable. After watching him, I am left wondering why he does not do more independent work because he is clearly brilliant as a character actor.

My two requests to Mira: first - please somehow re-shoot the scenes where you show smartphones in 2002/2003. A gaffe like this takes away from the seriousness of the subject matter and excellent direction and editing with nimble camera-work. Second - please come to Lahore and visit a university here to see what the students look like and how they speak. Unfortunately, for those of us who could tell the difference, it was like watching Englishmen pretending to be Americans and failing to emulate the dress code, accent, dialect and colloquial speak.

My gripes aside, I highly recommend this movie. And I repeat - it is NOT a thriller.

Off late, it seems that there's a new genre of films, both in India and in the West. As varied as they may be in their narratives, they share certain broad elements-a Muslim immigrant to the West facing the hostility and suspicion of a post-9/11 world and gradually becoming disillusioned with the once sought-after Western way of life and seeking solace in his/her own roots. 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' is the latest addition to that particular genre and yet, unlike many of the others, it doesn't have a lot to do with terrorism. Sure, terrorism and its consequences do drive the plot to a significant extent; but above all, this is a very human story about identity, self-doubt, and internal conflict.

The protagonist Changez Khan is a man living in two worlds, and throughout the story, he is never really able to pick a side, despite his assertion that his side has picked for him. In that regard, he is perhaps the most realistic reflection of a modern Muslim youth placed in a similar situation. Without spoiling anything much, I will say that this isn't your sundry story about young people feeling victimized and turning to radicalism-this is something far more complex...something you need to see the whole movie to truly appreciate.

Riz Ahmed does a great job portraying the multi-faceted and conflicted protagonist Changez, and Liev Schreiber is brilliant as Bobby Lincoln, the enigmatic American whose conversation with Changez forms the backbone of the narrative. Less impressive is Kate Hudson as Changez's American lover Erika.

This movie challenged my views of American policy. I thought that it was definitely written with an Indian audience as the demographic it would do best in. We had an opportunity to listen to the Director (Mira Nair) speak about this and her other movies. She told us "This movie is intended to start a conversation", and that it does. If you are a Hollywood / blockbuster fan you probably will not enjoy this as much. If you are open- minded, watch film for more than just entertainment, and like Bollywood / Indian film, this is for you. I think that just as 20 years ago film depicting disability, or sexuality was far less popular such is true about a film that illustrates a point of view that's not that of a gun toting American.