The Believer, the “amazing” forgotten drama starring Ryan Gosling, has landed a new streaming home in the UK. Released in 2001, the film stars Gosling as a young Jewish man named Daniel Balint, following him as he becomes a neo-Nazi.
Written and directed by Henry Bean, the film is based on a story by Bean and Mark Jacobson, which in turn is loosely based on the true story of Dan Burros, a member of the American Nazi Party, who was revealed to be Jewish by a New York Times reporter.
The synopsis reads: “Twelve-year-old Danny Balint is a precocious intellectual, arguing with the rabbis at the yeshiva, and running away from gentile toughs on the street.
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“By twenty-two, he is a skin-head, living alone, browsing militia movement websites…and developing ever more complex and fervent anti-Semitic theories.”
Joining Gosling on the cast are Waltzing with Brando actor Billy Zane, Black Widow actor Theresa Russell, and Esther Kahn’s Summer Phoenix.
The Believer was recently added to Prime Video in the UK, meaning subscribers can stream the film now.
Proving to be a hit among critics, the film has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 95 reviews, with critics praising The Believer for how it handles its subject matter.
“People have a right to make godless films. Bean’s made one, and it’s as brilliant as it is humane,” penned The Independent.
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The Oregonian said: “A deep and extraordinary film that isn’t afraid to look evil in the face — or, for that matter, to acknowledge that evil can be more complicated and even attractive than we’d want to admit.”
Reeling Reviews wrote: “Henry Bean’s thoughtful screenplay provides no easy answers, but offers a compelling investigation of faith versus intellect.”
“A fireball of contradictory ideas that will pin you to your seat,” wrote Rolling Stone, while Variety said: “Those who see it will be struck by the adroitness with which it addresses touchy issues.”
The Believer is now streaming on Prime Video in the UK.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.Â
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.Â
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.