The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Play trailer

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

R

Released Apr 26, 2013

2h 8m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In New York, a Pakistani native (Riz Ahmed) finds that his American Dream has collapsed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Critics Consensus

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is technically proficient, with solid acting and cinematography, but its message is so ambitious and heavy-handed that some of its power is robbed.

Read Critics Reviews

Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

The film could have done with more finesse in the way it begins and ends, but there are enough subtle shifts in the main act to keep me with it. After Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is [Mira] Nair's most engaging work.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 20, 2019

Full Review

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Every new revelation is signposted so heavily, you can almost hear the hammer blows.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 5, 2017

Full Review

Meredith Slifkin

Film Comment Magazine

The film seems to dance around the idea of being really critical of America-of analogizing American "exceptionalism" with Islamic fundamentalism-and instead resolves itself with an ending more befitting of a beauty pageant contestant's speech.

Jun 14, 2013

Full Review

Anna M.M. Vetticad

annavetticadgoes2themovies

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is not in the league of Nair’s best films, Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Wedding, but it’s thoughtful and thought-provoking all the same. For that and for Riz Ahmed, it’s definitely worth a watch.

Rated: 3.5

Jan 15, 2023

Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

This drab political thriller is not unlike a relaunched brand of margarine. The creators obviously have the best of intentions, but cannot avoid the blandest of outcomes.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 7, 2020

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

A film that should at least be bound to generate intelligent conversations, Nair's latest isn't without familiar issues, but it's a damn refreshing point of view.

Aug 12, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Good story telling. A little Exciting. Real.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think this is probably a good movie. The cast is impressive. I just couldn't tolerate more than about 10 minutes of it, because the audio was horrible. I could barely make out what the characters were saying. Very hollow sound. Other reviewers seem not to have had the same problem. I watched it on Xfnitity streaming, I have never had this issue with any other movie on this platform.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Emotion, perspective, worth watching

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It’s a very powerful movie with a good story and message. Unfortunately though the movie does suffer from pacing problems and narrative issues. Performances are decent but the movie wasn’t really as thrilling as it’s marketed to be. Still it’s a good movie worth watching for the subject matter alone.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/19

Full Review

Audience Member

It’s a very powerful movie with a good story and message. Unfortunately though the movie does suffer from pacing problems and narrative issues. Performances are decent but the movie wasn’t really as thrilling as it’s marketed to be. Still it’s a good movie worth watching for the subject matter alone.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/19

Full Review

Audience Member

I always say, no one becomes a terrorist for no reason. While I am not defending radicalism nor violence, the American government should be shameful of their arrogance and stop meddling their "enemies" while maintaining double standards. Riz Ahmed is excellent here.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mira Nair

Director

Riz Ahmed

Changez

Liev Schreiber

Bobby Lincoln

Kate Hudson

Erica

Kiefer Sutherland

Jim Cross

Om Puri

Abu

Black Gold

11%

52%

Black Gold

Watchlist

The Attack

86%

77%

The Attack

Watchlist

How I Live Now

66%

55%

How I Live Now

Watchlist

Capital

56%

47%

Capital

Watchlist

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

78%

61%

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: Pain & Gain is Visceral But Uneven

View more photos

Synopsis

In New York, a Pakistani native (Riz Ahmed) finds that his American Dream has collapsed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Director: Mira Nair
Producer: Lydia Dean Pilcher
Screenwriter: William Wheeler
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Cine Mosaic, The Mirabai Films, Doha Film Institute
Rating: R (Language|Brief Sexuality|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $519.5K
Runtime: 2h 8m

Most Popular at Home Now