- Actors: Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Peter Meadows, Garret Dillahunt, Kris Eivers
- Directors: Henry Bean
- Writers: Henry Bean, Mark Jacobson
- Producers: Adam Haight, Christopher Roberts, Daniel Diamond, Eric Sandys, Jay Firestone
- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English, Hebrew
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.78:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: R (Restricted) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
- DVD Release Date: 19 Oct 2004
- Run Time: 102 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00049QQJ6
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 150,889 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
With The Believer, his first film as director, screenwriter Henry Bean wastes no time in going for the jugular. In the opening scene a timid Yeshiva student is chased off a New York subway train, racially abused and savagely beaten up by a ranting skinhead, and from then on in the level of hatred and violence rarely abates. But the passion that fuels the film is as much psychological as physical. The skinhead Danny Balint is the film’s protagonist, and his anti-Semitic venom has an unusual cause: he’s Jewish himself.
Bean, whose previous work as a scriptwriter (Mulholland Falls and the like) has been accomplished but not exceptional, tackles this fraught subject with a strong sense of personal commitment. He doesn’t go for easy targets, either. Like Edward Norton's character in American History X, Danny is no mindless thug: he’s intelligent and frighteningly articulate, and he can argue his case with mouth and brains no less than with fists and boots. The film traces his attitude back to his schooldays, when he revolted against the unquestioning submission to Orthodox doctrine that his teachers tried to instil. Faced with a group of Holocaust survivors he denounces them for their passivity in the face of oppression. "Kill your enemies!" he tells them scornfully.
There’s a lot of talk in this film, and several of the characters are little more than mouthpieces for their respective views. (If Bernard Shaw had ever written a play about anti-Semitism, it might have come out rather like this.) But the play of ideas is passionate and deeply felt, and as the tormented Danny, constantly drawn back to the faith he despises, Ryan Gosling gives a riveting performance. This is an intense, anguished film that dares to pose deeply disquieting questions. --Philip Kemp
On the DVD: Although the disc only has one special feature, "Anatomy of a Scene", courtesy of the Sundance Channel, it is an interesting and informative dissection of the filming processes, the casting and the controversial and moving script. The visuals are on top form with 16:9 widescreen, but the sound is a disappointment--only mustering a 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo. --Nikki Disney
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is raw, gritty and powerful, but more than that it is so rough around the edges that you can't tell at times whether it's a documentary or a film. This film is Oscar material, Ryan Goslings performance is so intense and conflicted that he sincerely deserved an Oscar for his excellent effort in this film.
All the actors do a good job in this film (though it may have been interesting to see more conversing between Billy Zane and Ryan Goslings character). Theresa Russel reminded me of my Right-wing teachers at Primary school - very intimidating.
The Director really did a superb job here and created alot of empathy (and sympathy) for Ryan Gosling's character. Like Tim Roth's character in Made in Britain he is an intellectual, who feels shackled by society and Liberalism and the only way he can stand against is by being part of the Right-wing and opposing the State.
I felt this film shed alot of light on Judaism and actually gave me a better understanding of it (and it wasn't done in a preachy manner).
An excellent film, worthy of five stars and well worth a watch for those who like their films more raw than the usual Hollywood fare.
All the actors do a good job in this film (though it may have been interesting to see more conversing between Billy Zane and Ryan Goslings character). Theresa Russel reminded me of my Right-wing teachers at Primary school - very intimidating.
The Director really did a superb job here and created alot of empathy (and sympathy) for Ryan Gosling's character. Like Tim Roth's character in Made in Britain he is an intellectual, who feels shackled by society and Liberalism and the only way he can stand against is by being part of the Right-wing and opposing the State.
I felt this film shed alot of light on Judaism and actually gave me a better understanding of it (and it wasn't done in a preachy manner).
An excellent film, worthy of five stars and well worth a watch for those who like their films more raw than the usual Hollywood fare.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Although graphic to watch in places this film is highly deserving of any praise it receives. It deals with a controversial subject remarkably well and with real power. It also comes at it from a new angle, that of the Jewish Nazi, which gives it that extra edginess. I have rarely seen a film that left me thinking of it's issues so long and recommending it to so many people.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2003, I was interested to see how the neo-facist attitudes and views of the main character would be portrayed in "The Believer". I actually found the film to provide great insight into the minds and beliefs of neo-facist individuals in today's society, and it helped me personally to understand why so many people can hold such views even in the face of such devistating evidence of the testimonies of Jewish people who were detained in concentration camps, and the camps themselves. The film was particularly powerful in this sense because the main character was in fact Jewish himself and had experienced a Jewish upbringing, thus giving him a personal understanding of what it is like to be Jewish and yet at the same time revolting against this.
What I found most provoking in this film was the sense of the main character's inner struggle as he attempted to come to terms with his Jewish foundations. There are no words which overtly express his inner desire to reform bonds with his religion, but rather this desire is expressed through a numer of powerful and symbolic actions which works extremely well in this context.
For me the idea that even someone as extremist as the character initially appears to be can be pulled so deeply and so ultimately back towards his fundamental beliefs was extremely compelling.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"Know Your Enemy"
This is one that I had been meaning to get around to for some time. It deals with the thorny issue of the Jewish Nazi; whilst it sounds like an oxymoron it is similar to the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Tommy D
Deeply disturbing and thought provoking
This is a character study (inspired by a real life case) of a young,
violent, amazingly articulate neo-Nazi who wants to kill Jews, only to
turn out to be Jewish... Read more
violent, amazingly articulate neo-Nazi who wants to kill Jews, only to
turn out to be Jewish... Read more
Published 5 months ago by K. Gordon
Peculiar............
I have to agree with Ashtarcommand; what a very strange film. And what is everyone else going on about?! Read more
Published 6 months ago by Luke Bluewolf
Superb film
One of my favourite ever films. Extremely entertaining, thought provoking with excellent acting. Some shocking scenes but they fit into the theme of challenging religious beliefs. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Kenneth D. Mccracken
Boring, stereotyped and oversexed
Apparently I didn't get it, since all the other reviews are so glowing. Personally, I found "The Believer" to be boring, stereotyped and incomprehensible. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ashtar Command
Compelling story and truly interesting take on Judaism
I had seen the Believer at the cinema, and have recently seen it again in DVD. This movie had left a strong impression on me, and the feeling has been confirmed after watching it... Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2007 by Lulu
Believe
Ryan Gosling is terrific in this. His performance is absolutely spellbinding. We see him as Daniel, rising through the ranks of a a fictional American Neo-Fascist party. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2007 by pablo
Unbelievably unescapable
To be or not to be a Jew. The film seems to tell us how a Jew tried to become a nazi in today’s America. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2006 by Jacques COULARDEAU
A film to avoid
This is a disgusting and depressing film. About an insane, young jewish man in USA that's a neo-nazi at the same time. Understand it, if you can. Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2004 by Glux Riffa
Raising a fist to God
Towards the end of THE BELIEVER, I mused on the similarity of the film to the 1975 screen production of THE MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH starring Maximilian Schell. Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2003 by Joseph Haschka
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