Infedele per caso

There's no denying that "The Infidel" treads tough ground, one that doesn't need much reminding in this day and age. And to be fair, "The Infidel" is one of the more amusing films centred around Muslim/Jewish hostilities in years. Anchored by a hearty performance by stand-up Omid Djalili, who's made funny, incisive observations in his act about his culture and background in relation to English society and also, about the way they talk and behave and what tends to go unsaid in his presence. He has a fun time filling in the nuances of his role here with this keen understanding and terrific comic timing.

Djalili plays Mahmud Nasir, a moderate Muslim father and business-owner in England who finds out that he was born Solomon (Solly) Shimshillewitz and was adopted by Muslim parents. Understandably upset by the threat this weight of truth might bring to his normalcy, Mahmud hides the truth from his impossibly attractive wife (Archie Punjabi), a young daughter who spouts insanely ridiculous stereotypes and from a son who's about to marry the step-daughter of a radical Pakistani cleric. Rocked with an identity crisis, Mahmud enlists the help of a grumpy native New York Jew, Lenny Goldberg played with quick-fire efficiency by Emmy-winner Richard Schiff.

Djalili and Schiff pair well together. Frequently, the best scenes in the film coalesce around them as they traverse new ground – as Mahmud discovers a heritage he never knew and Lenny finds respect for a culture he's spent valuable time opposing. The moral of the story is clear: We're all the same. It's a trite notion but delivered with enough heart and equal opportunity offending on both sides.

This is a high-concept comedy with middle-brow ambitions, setting up substantial questions on ethnicity and religion but leave them hanging. It wants to co-opt the serious issues at play but not address them. At first glance, it's got a premise that brings humour right to the table but even with the best Djalili's got to give, the film lumbers along until a final third that just breaks down in hysterics and plain narrative tedium.

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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.

Loved it. Worth the watch! Loved the back & forth between Omid Djalili & Richard Schiff!

After a long time, I get the chance to see another charming little British comedy in the form of David Baddiel's 'The Infidel'. In times like this, when there is so much tension in the world between people of different religious backgrounds, 'The Infidel' has come at the right time. But while the film has a relevant message addressing the tension between Muslims and Jews, at heart, it's a comedy. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and the cultural and religious clashes are hilariously depicted. Directorially Josh Apignanessi has done a fine. Baddiel's writing is sharp and his original story is well displayed on screen. Omid Djalili is remarkable as Mahmud, the Muslim who doesn't pray fives times a day, who doesn't fast every day of Ramadan and who occasionally has a(n alcoholic) drink, but whose world is shattered when he discovers that his biological parents are Jews. Archie Punjabi looks a little too young to play the mother of a twenty-something young man. Otherwise she is terrific with a laidback performance as Mahmud's wife. Richard Schiff is hilarious as he once again depicts his flair for dry humour.

'The Infidel' gets a little dramatic in the pre-ending sequences. Sometimes it's a tad too preachy. However, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments to keep one thoroughly entertained. Cleverly written, well directed, wonderfully acted, 'The Infidel' is tickling entertainment.

This movie had me laughing right from the start! It's set around a Muslim man who doesn't care too much about religion until he finds out he's adopted.. and Jewish.

Omid Djalili gave an unsurprising great comedic delivery. He was so convincing as the typical Muslim man who doesn't pray all the time, fast every single day of Ramadan, or always abstain from alcohol. Yet he finds a reason to form a closeness with religion after he finds out shocking and upsetting news that he was born Jewish.

Every single scene in this movie will have you laughing in tears at the ridiculousness of the culture people have created in regards to religion. The plot is a little bit more complex but I don't want to give away too much. If you're Muslim or Jewish, you should definitely watch this movie because I know you'll love this film and want to recommend it to all your friends and family.