The Believer

This story of a Jewish skinhead needed much more work at the screenplay level to make it more believable and interesting. As it is we are left with many unanswered questions and erratic behaviors that kept throwing me out of the movie. With such a strong subject matter it is a pity this movie left me with so many conflicted feelings towards its execution. Nevertheless I was very impressed by the great performance of Ryan Gosling, arguably better than some of his most recent work where he seems to sleepwalk through a role. Here he brings a menace and conviction to his role that quite impressed me. So, in conclusion, we have a star defining performance in a very uneven screenplay about a very strong and controversial subject matter.

2001's The Believer, Ryan Gosling's Film Debut, Gosling portrays Danny Balint. A young Jewish man who is struggling to understand Judaism, while developing Anti-Semetic views towards the World. Though based on real-life accounts of Ku Klux Klan Member Daniel Burros, who was outed as a Jew, in a News article, which later caused him to take his own life on the day the article was released, in October 1965, the film takes place in the Present Day, with a number of flashbacks to Danny's time in a Jewish School, as a young teen. A powerful, dark, extremely controversial, and resonating film, which garnered almost no recognition, though the performance from Gosling was spectacular. This film far exceeded my expectations. 7.7/10

This film is truly a vortex of awfulness. it got progressively worse and worse with each scene, and in doing so sucked me in because i had to see how much more pathetic it could get. The slo-mo, the flashbacks, the awkward angles, the "Mission Impossible: II" style new-agey soundtrack backing up some scenes...as if it were not shown at Sundance, but made there, by a pack of beginning directors and screenwriters searching to create an "uncomfortable" and "thought-provoking" little masterpiece. And just when it couldn't get any worse...enter Billy Zane! It made me want to vomit--but maybe that was the scene in which Summer Phoenix sucked vomit-covered face. This story would have been much better handled by a more experienced, less gimmicky director/screenwriter. A waste of a gorgeous and charming young actor on an absolute crap film.

This film was recommended to me by a friend, and, upon learning that Ryan Gosling was the star, I was not anxious to see the film. I viewed Gosling as a juvenile actor, acting in juvenile fare. How wrong could I be! I wouldn't have thought it possible, but this guy carries an incredibly complex movie about human beliefs and values. A very thoughtful movie about very emotional subjects - racism and hatred. If you want a change from escapism and mindless drivel; to see a movie that will make you think, don't miss this one. You won't be disappointed.

Great film that sends a powerful message and I hope everyone watches it to see the effects racism has. A s a Jewish person I found telling of anti Semitic beliefs is important. Henry Bean did his best work here in my opinion and Ryan Gosling gave his best performance. It is R-rated for good reasons but I think everyone should see it as soon as they turn of age. It's another American History X but even better! I think that it works as a film and works as a human story and as a drama. The story is written well. The film comes from a great script and is great. This is me. Mathew Azaria. And my review of the believer! Have a great time watching this classic!

I want that 99 minutes of my life back, this was the worst movie i have ever seen in my life. If you know about movies, you'd know this garbage is a waste of film. There is no dialog, no structure, no plot, no climax, NO NOTHING. This movie was all over the place and it was complete trash, The best character in the movie was SHLOMO, "Stewart" he only had 2 minutes in the movie. This movie is Jewish propaganda and it's trash, I felt like hugging Jews after i saw this movie. If anybody compares this movie to "American History X" they deserve to be shot and strangled. "American History X" is a very well written movie thats has a moral to the story, This Movie "the believer" on the other hand was complete trash. It didn't make any sense what so ever, Take my advice and don't waste your life watching this piece of garbage movie. I rather stick a knife in my stomach for entertainment, rather than touch this movie with a 10 foot poll. TRASH TRASH TRASH.

Interesting story, but it's the performance by Ryan Gosling that left the biggest impression.

I vividly remember going to see this film in the cinema when it was first released. After seeing the film, I couldn't stop telling my friends about "a brilliant new actor called Ryan Gosling who is going to have an amazing career". Nearly 20 years later, whatever happened to Ryan Gosling? Oh yeah, he's a megastar! This is effectively the film that launched him. Watch it and see why. Highly recommended.

Finally a movie that is not afraid to challenge the Dogma of religion. This film is universal. It does not limit itself to Judaism. "The Believer" allows the viewer to look at his or her own religion and see the irrelevance of the laws that have been created by man. Religion is an experience between God and man, not between God and man via an interpreter. Unfortunately, by revealing the farce of his own religion, the main character has chosen to attack his religion and the people that encompass it.

Ryan Gosling is a powerhouse in this film as he plays a twisted and torn young Jewish man who hates his own religion and becomes a Nazi skinhead in response. That hatred isn't as clear cut as it first appears and his inner turmoil leaks out and bleeds into his Nazi life. Summer Phoenix is also excellent and is criminally underused. This film isn't Romper Stomper or American History X so put that out of your mind.