The Reluctant Fundamentalist confirms a new artistic paradigm in which terrorism
has become the prism for exploring cultural diversity and difference. The
mesmerising Riz Ahmed plays straight and hard in an engaging "Did-he-do-it?"
that examines the immediate and longitudinal impact of 9/11 on a
young Pakistani achiever seeking fortune and acceptance in NYC. He is ably
assisted by an eclectic cast playing gamely against type.
In a pressure-cooker interview scenario with an
American journalist in Lahore ten year after the Twin Towers, a college
lecturer (Ahmed) shares his story - the immediate and long-term consequences of
which will be life changing for many around him. The narrative switches
astutely between timeframes and subtlety widens the canvass of interest to
explore the ultimate disintegration of relationships between people who despite
their differences share connection of their disassociation with the
mainstream.
As a result of the protagonist's narrative we
are asked to consider how an individual's choices and actions can be shaped by
the prejudice of others as a response to fear. We conclude that the
determination of any personal journey is never our own design and yet whatever
decisions we make are only validated in the context of how they are received by
others.
Complex, albeit relative to the usual
Hollywood thriller, The Reluctant Fundamentalist delivers a thought provoking
and diverting examination of our collective paranoia.
8/10
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