The Reluctant Fundamentalist

*ing : Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland
Director : Meera Nair

Tagline :

In Indian filmmaker Mira Nair's (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake) latest film there are no easy answers to very complex issues, and I thought it was hard to find many likable characters as well. At times, I found myself getting annoyed, if not aggravated, at the simplistic stereotypes portrayed about America. There are some truths in these stereotypes, as with any others, but I felt the whole picture was not thoroughly examined and presented. Therefore, I often felt manipulated by half-truths and contrivances.

The main story revolves around a Pakistani professor Changez Khan, ably portrayed by the British actor Riz Ahmed, who is being interviewed by a reporter Bobby Lincoln, played by the fine actor Liev Schreiber, in a Lahore, Pakistan restaurant, in 2011. Bobby, who is a CIA operative and is wired by the agency, wants information from Changez on the whereabouts of a recently kidnapped American Professor off the streets of Lahore.

However, Changez is more interested in telling Bobby his history in America from 10 years before. He relates an amazing story of coming to the United Staes when he was eighteen years old, graduating with very high honors at Princeton, and then being hired by one of the most prestigious Wall Street firms Underwood Samson. He tells how his boss and mentor Jim Cross (Kiefer Sutherland) recognized his brilliant ability to quickly analyze financial information and draw accurate conclusions. Also, how began a relationship with the top executives' niece Erica (Kate Hudson), who was still in mourning for the loss of her longtime boyfriend in a car accident where she was driving.

Changez was certainly on the fast track to corporate success. However, then the attacks of 9/11 came and Changez relates to Bobby how he was increasingly harassed by Americans and various police and government agencies. I found this part of the film if not very far fetched, then ridiculously contrived. I'm not saying these type of incidents have not occurred but the way they were depicted I thought was manipulative. Anyway, these incidents changed Changez quite radically but his actual views on America are never really clearly depicted in the film, in my opinion.

As Changez talks to Bobby, student demonstrations are breaking out in the streets below and the CIA fearing for Bobby's safety wants to raid the restaurant to extricate him. It all spins into a some dramatic violence.

When the movie ended, I felt other than incriminate America for its' arrogance, what else was really presented to the viewer clearly? These are, as mentioned, complex issues and although I have very much liked Nair's work in the past I felt this was not a fair presentation of these issues in the film.

Rating :
***