Too much of everything

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Great film that sends a powerful message and I hope everyone watches it to see the effects racism has. A s a Jewish person I found telling of anti Semitic beliefs is important. Henry Bean did his best work here in my opinion and Ryan Gosling gave his best performance. It is R-rated for good reasons but I think everyone should see it as soon as they turn of age. It's another American History X but even better! I think that it works as a film and works as a human story and as a drama. The story is written well. The film comes from a great script and is great. This is me. Mathew Azaria. And my review of the believer! Have a great time watching this classic!

Danny Balint (Ryan Gosling) is angry. He questions his Jewish heritage and challenges his faith. The movie starts with him bullying a Jewish boy on the subway in New York. He joins a small group of fascists led by Curtis Zampf (Billy Zane) and Lina Moebius (Theresa Russell). Danny pushes for the group to start killing Jews. Carla Moebius (Summer Phoenix) finds him fascinating. Curtis doesn't want to go down that road again while Lina finds it appealing for their cause even if she doesn't believe in it. Reporter Guy Danielsen is writing about the right wing movement. Danny joins up with others as his star rises in the movement.This is a character study of anger and self-hatred. Ryan Gosling is brilliantly unbalanced as he challenges religious authority. He's also superficially very convincing in his insane rants. More than anything, he's very charismatic. It is a bone chilling performance.

I recently came across The Believer (directed and written by Henry Bean) starring Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Gosling in one of those tortured roles that fit him perfectly. Ryan is Danny Balint, a former yeshiva student that turned into a neo-Nazi. Directly based on the true story of Daniel Burros, this psychological struggle mastered by the intense performance of Ryan Gosling will pin you to your seat. Henry Bean managed to capture the raw emotions of his main character authentically played by Gosling. There is definitely more than abs to the former Disney child star. I was struck by Gosling's performance as a clever but psychologically-troubled mind. His intensity is captivating and the tension he builds within himself is somewhat close to insanity. In The Believer, I witnessed the brutality of Danny's words and actions but I couldn't help but feel bad for the poor guy and the deep struggle he has to face. At first, I obviously hated the character for being such an inhuman monster but when I discovered his demons and his love/hate relationship with his own God and religion, I had trouble being that resolute about his fate. The monologues made me clench my jaw and the constant violence of his deranged self challenged me as a passive viewer. This movie treats a topic not necessarily well-known by everyone: self-hatred in the Jewish community. If you think of starting a collection of neo-Nazism-related movies: The Believer is the one to put right next to the brilliant but different American History X.1 reason to watch: The mesmerizing performance of Gosling on the intense paradox that is self-hatred in the Jewish community of contemporary New York City.Read it here: http://squeerelist.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-believer- 2001.html

The Believer is like Danny: confused. The movie raises a lot of questions but answers little of them, in particular regarding the reasons that pushed him to develop such a hate.The script has almost no twists or turning points, and the dialogues are ultra verbose, which leads to an overall linearity and very slow paced rhythm.The direction and editing aren't much of a help either. The flashbacks fit badly with the story, but more importantly Henry Bean used tacky, ridiculous visual effects throughout the movie such as weird slow motions.In the end, the only satisfaction of this film is Ryan Gosling whose acting abilities are already noticeable even with his little experience at the time.