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The Believer

  • 2001
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
41K
YOUR RATING
Ryan Gosling in The Believer (2001)
Home Video Trailer from Palm Pictures
Play trailer2:13
6 Videos
44 Photos
Drama

A young Jewish man develops a fiercely anti-Semitic philosophy. Based on the factual story of a K.K.K. member in the 1960s who was revealed to be Jewish by a New York Times reporter.A young Jewish man develops a fiercely anti-Semitic philosophy. Based on the factual story of a K.K.K. member in the 1960s who was revealed to be Jewish by a New York Times reporter.A young Jewish man develops a fiercely anti-Semitic philosophy. Based on the factual story of a K.K.K. member in the 1960s who was revealed to be Jewish by a New York Times reporter.

  • Director
    • Henry Bean
  • Writers
    • Henry Bean
    • Mark Jacobson
  • Stars
    • Ryan Gosling
    • Summer Phoenix
    • Peter Meadows
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    41K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Henry Bean
    • Writers
      • Henry Bean
      • Mark Jacobson
    • Stars
      • Ryan Gosling
      • Summer Phoenix
      • Peter Meadows
    • 172User reviews
    • 94Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 10 nominations

    Videos6

    The Believer
    Trailer 2:13
    Watch The Believer
    The Believer Scene: Coffee Talk
    Clip 2:27
    Watch The Believer Scene: Coffee Talk
    The Believer Scene: Quick Learner
    Clip 1:23
    Watch The Believer Scene: Quick Learner
    The Believer Scene: Group
    Clip 2:25
    Watch The Believer Scene: Group
    The Believer Scene: Jewish Nazi
    Clip 1:45
    Watch The Believer Scene: Jewish Nazi
    The Believer Scene: Dressed To Kill
    Clip 0:58
    Watch The Believer Scene: Dressed To Kill

    Photos44

    Ryan Gosling in The Believer (2001)
    Summer Phoenix and Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    Summer Phoenix and Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    Ryan Gosling at an event for The Believer (2001)
    The Believer (2001)
    Ryan Gosling in The Believer (2001)
    The Believer (2001)
    The Believer (2001)
    The Believer (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ryan Gosling
    Ryan Gosling
    • Danny Balint
    Summer Phoenix
    Summer Phoenix
    • Carla Moebius
    Peter Meadows
    • Orthodox Student
    Garret Dillahunt
    Garret Dillahunt
    • Billings
    Kris Eivers
    • Carleton
    Joel Marsh Garland
    Joel Marsh Garland
    • O.L.
    • (as Joel Garland)
    Billy Zane
    Billy Zane
    • Curtis Zampf
    Theresa Russell
    Theresa Russell
    • Lina Moebius
    Jack Drummond
    • Old Coot
    Sig Libowitz
    Sig Libowitz
    • Rav Zingesser
    James McCaffrey
    • Young Avi
    • (as James G. McCaffrey)
    Jacob Green
    • Young Danny
    Frank Winters
    • Young Stuart
    Ronald Guttman
    Ronald Guttman
    • Danny's Father
    Heather Goldenhersh
    Heather Goldenhersh
    • Linda
    A.D. Miles
    A.D. Miles
    • Guy Danielsen
    Tommy Nohilly
    Tommy Nohilly
    • Whit
    Joshua Harto
    Joshua Harto
    • Kyle
    • Director
      • Henry Bean
    • Writers
      • Henry Bean
      • Mark Jacobson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Due to the film's low budget, the crew could not afford permits and many scenes had to be shot quickly.
    • Goofs
      In the final synagogue segment, while the congregation is singing "Aveenu Malchenu," they keep changing keys from shot to shot, up a half-step and down a half-step and back up again, indicating a string of takes edited together.
    • Quotes

      Daniel Balint: Let me put it this way: Who wants to destroy the Jews? Who wants to grind their bones into the dust? And who wants to see them rise again? Wealthier, more successful, powerful, cultured, more intelligent than ever? Then you know what we have to do? We have to love 'em. What? Did he say ''Love the Jews''? It's strange, I know. But with these people, nothing is simple. The Jew says all he wants is to be left alone to study his Torah... do a little business... fornicate with his oversexed wife,but it's not true. He wants to be hated. He longs for our scorn. He clings to it, as if it were the very core of his being. If Hitler had not existed, the Jews would've invented him. For without such hatred, the so-called Chosen People would vanish from the earth. And this reveals a terrible truth and the crux of our problem as Nazis. The worse the Jews are treated, the stronger they become. Egyptian slavery made them a nation. The pogroms hardened them. Auschwitz gave birth to the state of Israel. Suffering, it seems, is the very crucible of their genius. So, if the Jews are,as one of their own has said... a people who will not take ''yes'' for an answer... let us say ''yes'' to them. They thrive on opposition. Let us cease to oppose them. The only way to annihilate this insidious people once and for all... is to open our arms, invite them into our homes... and embrace them. Only then will they vanish into assimilation, normality and love. But we cannot pretend. The Jew is nothing if not clever. He will see through hypocrisy and condescension. To destroy him, we must love him sincerely. If the Jews are strengthened by hate, wouldn't this... destruction that you speak of, whether it's by love or any other means... wouldn't that make them more powerful than they are already? Yes. lnfinitely more. They would become as God. It's the Jews' destiny to be annihilated so they can be deified. Jesus understood this perfectly. And look what was accomplished there with the death of just one enlightened Jew. Imagine what would happen if we killed them all."

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Million Dollar Hotel/The Invisible Circus/Head Over Heels (2001)

    User reviews172

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    a strong story about self-hating
    I am amazed how little this impact this film has made. It looks like its distribution around 2001/9/11 events and the fact that some American Jewish circles feared that it can be mis-interpreted led to a limited distribution. However, the directing of Henry Bean, the acting of Ryan Gosling, and the strong treatment of a difficult subject should have led to more respect than this movie received.

    'The Believer' is the story of a young Jewish boy in today's America. Raised in a religious environment he is asking questions that are not unusual for a young Jewish person two or three generations after the Holocaut. Where was God during the Holocaust, and why did the Jewish people did so little to resist their oppressors? He is obviously giving the wrong answers, and not only loses his faith, but falls into the trap of self-hate, becoming a neo-Nazi and a Jew-hater, a self-hater in other words.

    There are many things that can be said and discussed around this theme. The character may seem paradoxical, but it is not impossible. The fact that the story is loosely inspired by a true character is not that relevant, what is important is that we can believe the motivations of the character and understand his evolution. Certainly a film to watch and think about.
    helpful•30
    4
    • dromasca
    • Dec 16, 2006

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    FAQ20

    • How long is The Believer?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 23, 2001 (Russia)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hebrew
    • Also known as
      • Danny Balint
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fuller Films
      • Seven Arts Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $416,925
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $26,263
      • May 19, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,309,316
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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