The Reluctant Fundamentalist

The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the latest film from accomplished director Mira Nair is an amazing and revealing story of how America makes enemies out of those that love this country. It's a razor sharp story that cuts to the quick about the naked arrogance of America and white men in particular when it comes to those that don't look like them. It's a story I think everyone should see and because of that, I give The Reluctant Fundamentalist three buckets of Killer Korn.




The Reluctant Fundamentalist is directed by one of my all time favorite directors, Mira Nair. Now I have to admit that I lost some faith in her after seeing her last film, the atrocious 2009 Amelia about the determined pilot Amelia Earheart. That film was so bad that I was afraid Mira had lost her skills behind the camera. TRE has restored my faith in her and it's apparent that when Mira feels strongly about the subject matter, her films pack a wallop and when she doesn't, they are entirely forgettable (unless you can't shake bad movies out of your memory, like me). This film undoubtedly packs an emotional wallop the likes of which stay with you long after the movie has ended. Starring the enigmatic and very talented Riz Ahmed as Changez (pronounced Chong-ez), TRE revolves around this man who lives the American dream until 9/11, then he lives the American nightmare, a nightmare many of us can't even imagine.

Starring alongside Riz is an equally talented cast. Keifer Sutherland plays Jim Cross, Changez' boss, Liev Schreiber plays reporter Bobby Lincoln, Kate Hudson plays Changez' girlfriend Erica (who is damaged beyond belief), Nathan Ellis plays Changez' friend and co-worker Wainwright, and the acclaimed Om Puri and Shabana Azmi plays his father, the poet Abu and his mother Ammi respectively. I get the sneaky sensation these actors beat down Mira's door to work with her on this film, how else does one get this much talent together at the same time, in one film. Changez leaves Pakistan and attends Princeton, living the Ivy League life and his grades get him an interview with one of the most respected evaluating companies on the globe, Underwood/Sampson. He's impressing his bosses and climbing the corporate ladder when 9/11 happens, throwing his world into a tailspin.

He heads back to Pakistan, leaving America behind and becomes a University professor. He is then assumed to be behind the kidnapping of a fellow professor and the CIA wants answers. The movie is told in wonderful flashbacks from two different perspectives, the CIA's and Changez'. Inspired by the novel by Moshin Hamid, this story is gritty, violent, and emotionally turbulent. The Reluctant Fundamentalist asks a lot of questions that would make many Americans uncomfortable regarding how they view those who look like those who brought down the towers. It speaks of passing judgement based on how one looks, something we Americans bristle at.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a film definitely worth seeing because not only is it good, it makes you see what others have gone through and continue to go through based on where they are from. It makes you see the world from their eyes in a way that's rarely been done. The score by Michael Andrews is tense and lush and is interspersed with amazing songs by the likes of Atif Aslam, Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammed, and Zahra Khan. The music to this film is as impressive as the performances. My only beef with the film is the way it was shot. Far too many close ups for my taste and while the cast is attractive, it begins to get frustrating after awhile. I think Mira was trying to build the intensity, but the story handles that all on it's own. The movie fails to show the beauty of Pakistan as well but that's a forgivable sin. I highly recommend The Reluctant Fundamentalist and I'll see you at the theater.