The Believer (2001)

Drama

Director: Henry Bean
Writers: Henry Bean, Mark Jacobson
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Peter Meadows, Garret Dillahunt, Kris Eivers

"How can you say all this when you're a Jew yourself?"

A twenty-year-old Ryan Gosling, in the role that set him on his course, best captures the inner conflict of Daniel Balint, a young neo-Nazi skinhead of Jewish origins, who starts out as bright young yeshiva student impassioned with his teachers' arguments but, after exploring alternative ideologies, becomes a rising star in the local neo-fascist circles. The character was based on a true person, Daniel Burros, a member of the American Nazi Party and the Ku Klux Klan, who, after his Jewish heritage was exposed in an article in the New York Times, commited suicide.

Due to its controvesial subject, like American History X, The Believer is an explosive and disturbing film that really challenges the audience to ask some difficult questions about the nature of belief, with a young Ryan Gosling shining in his first major role after "The Mickey Mouse Club."

Plot summary from IMDb: "The Believer" explores a Jewish student's private journey to understand the meaning of Judaism in his life. Set in New York City, the Plot follows a morally confused young adult struggling with the conflict between his beliefs and his heritage. "The Believer" examines themes of religion, family, and self-loathing. It is a psychological examination into the forces of intolerance, both on the individual and society as a whole.

Awards: 6 wins & 9 nominations.
Runtime: 102 min
R