The Infidel
The Infidel

The Infidel

2010Movie105 minEnglish

Based in a London suburb Mahmud Nasir lives with his wife, Saamiya, and two children, Rashid and Nabi. His son plans to marry Uzma, the step-daughter of Egyptian-born Arshad Al-Masri, a so-called 'Hate Cleric' from Waziristan, Pakistan. Mahmud, who is not exactly a devout Muslim, he drinks alcohol, and does not pray five times, but does agree that he will appease Arshad, without whose approval the marriage cannot take place. Shortly thereafter Mahmud, while going over his recently deceased mother's documents, will find out that he was adopted, his birth parents were Jewish, and his name is actually Solly Shimshillewitz.

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IMDb6.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes46%
Metacritic50/100
Google Users63%
Director: Josh AppignanesiGenres: Comedy, Drama

Plot Summary

Douglas Clapper, a perpetually unlucky but good-natured antiques dealer, discovers he is adopted and that his biological father was an Iranian Jew. This revelation throws his life into disarray, especially as he's engaged to a Muslim woman. As he grapples with his newfound identity and the potential fallout with his fiancée and her family, Douglas embarks on a journey to find his birth father and understand his Jewish heritage.

Critical Reception

The Infidel received a mixed reception from critics. While many praised Omid Djalili's performance and the film's ambition to tackle sensitive religious and cultural themes with humor, others found the script to be uneven and the comedic elements sometimes falling flat. Audience reception was similarly varied, appreciating the comedic aspects and the exploration of identity but sometimes critiquing the handling of its core themes.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its bold premise and Omid Djalili's comedic performance.
  • Criticized for an uneven script and inconsistent humor.
  • Appreciated for attempting to bridge cultural divides through comedy.

Google audience: Google users generally found 'The Infidel' to be a funny and thought-provoking film that handled its sensitive subject matter with charm. Many appreciated the comedic timing of Omid Djalili and the film's effort to explore religious and cultural identity. However, some users felt the plot became a bit predictable in its latter half.

Fun Fact

The film's director, Josh Appignanesi, based some elements of the story on his own experiences navigating interfaith relationships.

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