IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.7K
YOUR RATING
An identity crisis comedy centred on Mahmud Nasir, successful business owner, and salt of the earth East End Muslim who discovers that he's adopted - and Jewish.An identity crisis comedy centred on Mahmud Nasir, successful business owner, and salt of the earth East End Muslim who discovers that he's adopted - and Jewish.An identity crisis comedy centred on Mahmud Nasir, successful business owner, and salt of the earth East End Muslim who discovers that he's adopted - and Jewish.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.7K
YOUR RATING
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
Videos3
James Krishna Floyd
- Gary Pageas Gary Page
- (as James Floyd)
Ravin J. Ganatra
- Fahadas Fahad
- (as Ravin Ganatra)
Chris Wilson
- Security Guardas Security Guard
- (as Karl Wilson)
- Director
- Writer
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
Mahmud Nasir lives in a London suburb with his pretty wife Saamiya and their two children, Rashid and Nabi. His son plans to marry Uzma, the stepdaughter of Egyptian-born Arshad Al-Masri, a so-called 'Hate Cleric' from Waziristan, Pakistan. Mahmud 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, while going over his recently deceased-mother's documents, Mahmud discovers that he was adopted, his birth parents were Jewish, and his name is actually Solly Shimshillewitz. He conceals this information from his family, and with help from his neighbor Leonard Goldberg, tries to understand the Jews and their religion. He even locates his birth father, who is on his deathbed in a nursing home. Mahmud does not know that Arshad has been checking into his background, has videotaped him setting fire to a Jewish cap during a protest, and has already approved of him, despite his letter to the media about 'moderate Muslims'. But on the day of the meeting with Arshad and Uzma, - Mahmud finds his life drastically changed when the Police will attend to arrest him, and he is forced to publicly proclaim that he is Jewish--a move that will not only alienate him from his family but also from both the Jewish and Muslim communities. —rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
- Taglines
- Is It a Muslim? Is It a Jew? No! It's...
- Genres
- Certificate
- TV-PG
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaDavid Baddiel: The movie's writer can be seen on the TV show The Wright Stuff (2000), which Mahmud watches.
- GoofsAfter Mahmud sees that Lenny has parked his taxi cab on his parking cones, he begins to walk over to Lenny's house to confront him about it. On the way, he walks past a car and the camera crew is reflected in its side.
- Quotes
[Mahmud tells Lenny his real name]
Lenny Goldberg: Solly Shimshillewitz? Why didn't they just call you "Jewe-jew-jew-jew-jew" and be done with it?
- Alternate versionsMahmud's road-rage scene from the outset has been sound-dubbed for strong language (UK video version), with the C-word being uttered only once. In the UK cinema print, Mahmud shouts the C-word many times towards the taxi driver.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Breakfast: Episode dated 6 April 2010 (2010)
- SoundtracksClose Your Eyes
Performed by Joel Freedman
Written by David Gavurin & Harriet Wheeler
Produced by Howie B.
Engineered by Ben Thackeray'
Published by Warner Chappell Music Limited
Top review
Halal/Kosher cook off
I've just returned from what the organizers dubbed as "The World Premier" of 'The Infidel' at the Hammersmith Apollo, and the mere fact that the first thing on my mind is to review it should say something about this strategically mastered movie written by David Baddiel, who to my surprise can deliver an equally hilarious stand up performance.
The movie takes place in East London and it revolves around the life the Mahmud Nasir a semi-liberal Muslim family man minicab driver whose world gets disrupted by his mother's death and goes into an emotional period compounded by his son's recent engagement to a Pakistani "hate cleric's" step daughter. Mahmud uncovers his birth certificate while cleaning out his mother's stuff and eventually discovers that he is adopted and his original parents are Jewish.
As Mahmud's world swivels in a state of disarray he turns to the only Jewish person he knows, semi-alcoholic recently divorced clinically depressed Lenny (Richard Schiff from The West Wing), who takes it upon himself to teach now 'Solly Shimshillewitz' Jewishness! The two embark on a journey of "oy vey" rehearsals and 'Fiddler on the Roof' reaction sessions as Lenny shows Mahmud the difference between the various types of London Jews. Mahmud's life takes a turn for the worse when he accidentally uncovers wearing a yarmulke at a pro-Palestine rally to which he reacts and subsequently becomes blessed by the "hate cleric".
During this period Mahmud questions his identity and goes into a cathartic phase where logic prevails and he reaches a firm conclusion of who he is and what it means to be Mahmud Nasir.
This tactically mastered comedy touches on subjects regarded as taboo in the film industry and attempts to portray logical religious soundness at a time when religious righteousness is synonymous with hate. A well delivered comedy filled with laugh out loud moments entertains, educates and surprises with a performance by Omid Djalili that can only be described as "joyfully expected".
The movie takes place in East London and it revolves around the life the Mahmud Nasir a semi-liberal Muslim family man minicab driver whose world gets disrupted by his mother's death and goes into an emotional period compounded by his son's recent engagement to a Pakistani "hate cleric's" step daughter. Mahmud uncovers his birth certificate while cleaning out his mother's stuff and eventually discovers that he is adopted and his original parents are Jewish.
As Mahmud's world swivels in a state of disarray he turns to the only Jewish person he knows, semi-alcoholic recently divorced clinically depressed Lenny (Richard Schiff from The West Wing), who takes it upon himself to teach now 'Solly Shimshillewitz' Jewishness! The two embark on a journey of "oy vey" rehearsals and 'Fiddler on the Roof' reaction sessions as Lenny shows Mahmud the difference between the various types of London Jews. Mahmud's life takes a turn for the worse when he accidentally uncovers wearing a yarmulke at a pro-Palestine rally to which he reacts and subsequently becomes blessed by the "hate cleric".
During this period Mahmud questions his identity and goes into a cathartic phase where logic prevails and he reaches a firm conclusion of who he is and what it means to be Mahmud Nasir.
This tactically mastered comedy touches on subjects regarded as taboo in the film industry and attempts to portray logical religious soundness at a time when religious righteousness is synonymous with hate. A well delivered comedy filled with laugh out loud moments entertains, educates and surprises with a performance by Omid Djalili that can only be described as "joyfully expected".
helpful•4310
- A_Gooner
- Apr 8, 2010
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Infidel
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $2,817,080
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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