Review of Four Lions (2010) by William V — 10 Mar 2011

Wow. Make sure you understand the term "black comedy" before you see this one. It is hilarious, makes great statements and easily avoids the holier than thou attitude that a film like this could unknowingly develop towards the end. All that said, this movie will make you uncomfortable. It's supposed to. Hell,I felt uncomfortable explaining the premise and how it could be funny even before the movie was released. But, if you are one that can endure that feeling, what you have left is a very entertaining movie. The dialogue is hilarious. And even the bomcstick (slapstick doesn't do these gags justice) are great.

But, what makes this movie worth the awkwardness and discomfort is the characters. All four of them work so well. The flaws in each of their reasonings that got them there is perfectly clear. Hasan, the newest and youngest, is a rich young guy doing it basically to say "screw you" to his father. You know the type: he has so little conflict in his life that he desperately wants to find one that screams big bad and important. Theres Faisel (I think I spelled that right) a simple man whose family apparently has a history of mental illness. There's Barry, the convert. He reminds me of the white guy who is already accepted by a group of black friends but is so worried about not looking legit that he googles black culture and emulates it to the offensive extreme. There's Waj, who is Omar's slow-witted right hand man. He is the likeable sympathetic character who is shown to be convinced to go through with what he knows is wrong by a "best friend" who takes advantage of him. And there's Omar, my favorite. He is a man who lives like a capitalist but is still discontent so he takes up something that he feels can alleviate that. He is just as ridiculous and as much of a screw up as everyone else, but he believes he isn't which makes his character so funny. Plus his attempt at revising the Lion King... priceless. They all work to make this movie exactly what it is: a biting well thought out black comedy.