Four Lions (2010)

(Significant spoilers ahead - the ending determined my response to this movie.)

I am so conflicted about this movie. I was LOVING it up until the very end. Then it took two turns that were very dark, even for me. The problem was this movie, while clearly very satirical, kept two of the main characters significantly more realistic in their reactions and responses. This meant they became real people in my mind, and then the ending happened, and I felt... devastated. I don't know what I expected to happen. I know it couldn't really have ended any other way. And I'm sure that was a very deliberate choice - that the ending was *supposed* to jar me in a way the dark tone of the rest of the movie hadn't. I just don't know if I can be OK with it.

I'm giving it a high rating for now because I did really enjoy and admire most of the movie. I am hoping that after a few months, my thoughts on this will settle some and I will be able to decide a little more clearly how I felt about this movie as a whole. 4 stars.


Best Part: Faisal's explanation of how he disguised himself to buy bleach made me laugh harder than I have at a movie in ages.
Worst Part: The ending. As stated above.
Flickchart: #354, below E.T. and above Boy A.