Film Review: The Infidel

As plots go, The Infidel's is simple enough. After Mahmud's (Djalili) mother dies he discovers that not only was he adopted but that he was born a Jew, throwing his Muslim faith and identity into crisis. Compared to Chris Morris' higher profile Four Lions, this is a less controversial and light-hearted affair. Djalili's likeability and Baddiel's warming story makes this story about religious differences that much less ominous.

Essentially this is a film of pot shots at both Islamic and Jewish faith. None of it however is malicious or offensive, giving the film an added charm which makes it that much more enjoyable. It in no way tries to be subversive or scathe either religion in anyway, but rather highlight gently some of the more amusing cultural aspects involved with them.

It is amusing to watch Mahmud, a relaxed Muslim at best whose most fervent enthusiasm is ironically displayed on his Tottenham Hotspur shirt, work himself into a breakdown upon finding out his Jewish origins. The discovery of his roots could not have come at a more inappropriate time as his son is engaged to be married to the daughter of a fanatical Egyptian cleric. Seeking to solve his identity crisis, Mahmud befriends fellow Jew, Lenny (Schiff), a depressed, alcoholic American black cab driver who tries to teach him all there is to know about being a Jew. This is not so much about Judaism itself, but more how to say "Oy" with the appropriate shrug and correct behavioural conduct at a bar mitzvah. Mahmud's identity crisis comes to a crescendo when he is found to be wearing a yarmulke under his taqiyah at a Free Palestine Rally.

However, while The Infidel starts off brightly with numerous amusing moments the film begins to trail off in the second half, becoming more slow paced with less laughs. This is a simple film and while it does fire off plenty of funny quips that will make you laugh, it is also quite forgettable. Djalili is, as with most things, instantly loveable but if you expected a film that would make hilariously scathing judgements about the bane and stupidity of religion, this is not it. The Infidel instead falls back into that regrettable romcom-feel territory, causing it to only amount to nothing more than one of those 'quite amusing films with that funny guy in it'.