The Infidel (2010)

The movie summary made it appear to be something else while the movie itself is a standard-issue situation comedy. The situation is a Moslem man cleaning out his recently-deceased mom's house finds her legal documents, including his adoption certificate. Thru a standard comedy quick-reveal, he finds out he was born to Jewish parents. What follows is satires on the reality on both being Moslem and being Jewish. In that respect, this movie should be shown to both groups and discussed because both groups are fairly represented. Exactly when a man must be the best Moslem possible (so his son can marry the girl of his dreams), he has an identity crisis. The question of his identity is resolved as one would expect, but the humor is in how he does that. The irony is that the only person this Moslem man can tell about his predicament is the Jew across the street from where his mom lived. So, yes, much of the angst wouldn't have happened if he'd been able to be honest with his fellow Moslems, which is another reason both groups should watch this movie. There were points where it was guffaw funny and points where it was painfully honest.

I instantly recognised the leading actor on the DVD cover, and I noticed it being the first film to be written by David Baddiel, I obviously hadn't heard about during its release, but I decided to try it out. Basically Mahmud (Omid Djalili) is a loving husband and doting father, he may say the F word quite a lot and may not pray much, but he is relaxed living as a Muslim. It is after his mother had died that he finds something out that he never knew about himself, his birth certificate reveals not just that he was adopted, but that he was actually born Jewish. Mahmud's real name is Solly Shimshillewitz, and after this revelation he is in a spat of identity crisis, he is pretty convinced he needs to convert into his true birth religion. The only person Mahmud can turn to help him achieve this and teach him lessons in Jewishness is from American Jewish taxi driver Lenny (Deep Impact's Richard Schiff), from the palm action to dancing like Topol. After so much effort trying to change himself, and getting himself in trouble with both his family and friends, and even the authorities, Muhmud decides in the end not to hide the truth about his heritage, but he will remain a Muslim and ask everyone to let it lie. Also starring Archie Panjabi as Saamiya, Amit Shah as Rashid, Yigal Naor as Arshad El Masri, Mina Anwar as Muna, Soraya Radford as Uzma, Matt Lucas as Rabbi, Miranda Hart as Mrs. Keyes and Paul Kaye as Policeman. Djalili, who would normally be seen in supporting roles, does pretty well as the main character, and Schiff is dry-witted, Baddiel does pretty alright in the writing, I didn't get all the jokes, this may offend some people, but for me, not a bad comedy. Okay!

Omid Djalili plays Mahmud, a decent, easy-going family man of very moderate Islamic views (does not pray five times a day, does not really fast on Ramadan, and takes more than a sip of alcohol now and again). It is the highly sympathetic and humorous Djalili, with his wondrously expressive face, that holds the movie together.Mahmud thinks he is a Muslim through-and-through until he is stunned to discover that he was born of Jewish parents and was adopted, weeks old, by a Muslim family. A sincere man, he wants to find his birth parents, and this immediately throws him into the nexus of two worlds: Muslim and Jewish. The possibilities are endless. Sadly, while the movie produces some very sympathetic sketches, and it is good for a laugh or two, you will regret what might have been.The fundamental premise of the movie is artificial. First, Islam does not recognize adoption as we understand the concept. Second, Muslims in general and Pakistanis in particular live in a semi-tribal system of extended families, so there is no chance such an adoption would be a secret. Third, the rabbi's behavior, when Mahmud tries to visit his very old and dying birth father, is inexplicable by any Jewish principles. Finally, Islam is a proselytizing religion, so having been born Jewish would not make Mahmud any less Muslim.Do not imagine, therefore, that by watching this movie you will come to any deeper understanding of Islam or Judaism. In the end, the severely artificial premise of the movie corrupts it irretrievably.You should watch the movie for the performances, all which are very good. You will have a laugh or two. You will enjoy it. Then forget it.

I felt disappointment at the end. But not because there is anything wrong with it. Just that I really want something to hit the nail on the head with Israel/Palestine/Antisemitism/Islamophobia and get rid of this huge problem. Though why would one expect a comedy to do such a thing? The reason I am so desperate to see an end to these conflicts is because they are so difficult to resolve. And because, in my opinion, they are the biggest stimulus for all the terror nonsense going on these days. Why young men get their legs and more blown off every day, people get bombed and shot, air strikes destroy ambulances, loads of people go around being racist, security checks take forever and Western nations end up torturing people thus ruining their credibility when trying advocate human rights. What a mess!This topic is under publicised considering how important it is. Too little is said. And when I see/hear people discussing it I too often see/hear people rigidly stuck to a position from which no meaningful compromise of opinion can be reached without heat, anger, shouting, conflation of issues etc.The film does address the issue and I think boldly. Inevitably some people will find this offensive to both Muslim and Jewish people. I am neither (though I know plenty of both). But I like the fact that it has characters coming out with all the racist BS that gets said - and makes it sound ridiculous like it is. And there are 'good' and 'bad' characters from both sides.The thing about the racist 'BS' mentioned above is that a lot of the criticism that falls on entire religions/races is appropriate when aimed at individuals belonging to those groups. It's the blanket generalisations that are wrong and annoy me. I felt that it helped to demonstrate that it's individual idiots, not idiotic peoples, that give huge numbers of people a tarnished reputation in the eyes of those unwilling to think too hard about all of this. And I am happy this film has done that.I suspect I might review how highly I think of this film at a later date. Did it seem less funny than it could have because of the subject? Or was I willing it to seem funny because I was happy with what it was trying to do? I know I will laugh upon remembering some scenes and ideas. It should be watched.