A Jewish neo-Nazi conflicted between his respect for the Torah and his vendetta against his people.
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.
(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. 
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