The last mini-series T.V. movie that had me this on edge with anticipation was probably back with Stephen King’s ABC movie The Langoliers. Until tonight.
In “Britz” (BBC America, 8 p.m.), writer and director Peter Kominsky (“The Government Inspector”) reacts more to the July 7, 2005, London Tube bombing that killed 52 — known there as 7/7 — than America’s 9/11.But instead of re-enacting that tragedy, he concocts a fiction about a pair of second-generation Muslims in Northern England, a brother and sister who go starkly different ways in reacting to the anti-terror precautions of their time.[courant]
My dad and I were both on the edge of our seat watching this – and there are not many movies that both of us can sit through together. The first part of the movie looks at brother Sohail’s life (played by hottie Riz Ahmed). Sohail detours from his law school to join the M15, the domestic spying operations. As the token Muslim Urdu speaking spy, he quickly gets involved with investigating Muslim terrorist cells. The story takes us on the complex journey on how he is fighting for justice for Muslims through being on “the inside”.
The concluding part, which shows tonight (Dec 1st) on BBC America at 8pm follows the story of Sohail’s sister, a medical student and political activist, Nasima (played by Manjinder Virk).
Part two follows the story of Nasima … who spends much of her time campaigning against repressive government policies and witnesses at first-hand the relentless targeting of her Muslim neighbors… Nasima is not only forced to question her liberal views but left feeling so angry at, and estranged from, the country of her birth, that she embarks on an extraordinary journey that eventually takes her to a terrorist training camp in north-west Pakistan.[bbcamerica]
Besides being a thriller around hyphenated Muslim characters around the struggle for identity, I was particularly compelled with how the movie addresses the idea that ‘terrorists don’t simply exist, but are created.’
Obviously, there’s no defense for terrorism, but there are explanations, which is what “Britz” attempts to show. Viewers may also find irony in the depiction of intolerance, hate and fear among adherents to Islam that’s mirrored among other religious extremists (e.g., American citizens who use their religion as a reason to vote to legalize discrimination against gays or Christians who bomb abortion clinics).“It’s designed to rock the boat and ask questions,” Ahmed said at a BBC America press conference in July. “Our hope is this is a program that encourages the asking of difficult questions and debate of an issue that maybe hasn’t received as much coverage stateside as it has in the U.K.”[desertnews]
If you missed Part 1 tonight, BBC America is rebroadcasting Part 1 on a loop. I’m also pretty sure you can watch the first part at 5pm tonight (Dec 1st) before the 8pm showing of Part 2 (be sure to check your local listings).
I highly recommend watching this but do keep in mind it is a ‘made for TV’ movie, so don’t expect the cinematic excellence of Slumdog Millionaire. That being said, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie that realistically attempted to address the complexities of what it means to be a ‘terrorist’ like this movie tries to do. Aside from Lost, I’m used to seeing two dimensional stereotypes spit out by Hollywood, especially when it comes to terrorist characterization. I was also drawn in by the unique telling of the story using parallel stories on diverging characters from the same family gives a unique perspective. Though with it’s flaws (Chicago Tribune called it “faltering” and “too earnest”), as a Muslim American, the movie gave me something tangible to grab a hold of in the post-Mumbai massacre confusing mess of feelings I’ve had this week.
Ah, so this is why I saw the intern miserably pop 200mg of Modafinil with an espresso before sitting back down in front of the computer. It all makes sense now!
Obviously, there’s no defense for terrorism, but…
i like no buts and i cannot lie.
2 · hypertree said
Just to be clear–for the sake of this thread– that “but” you called out creatively was a quote from a news article, not a statement from the blogger herself (not that you implied such a thing).
Having clarified that, I must say, I concur with your point…and anyone who quotes Sir Mix-a-lot is cool by me. 🙂
as a british hindu i am really perplexed at the situation of young british muslims. especially the ones whose parents are from pakistan. on the one hand, the british government have bend over backwards to accomodate muslims, by allowing them to have their own sharia law courts and their own neighbourhoods, etc. they’ve also made everyone so pc that people at my university are frightened of wishing me happy christmas in case i’m offended. on the other hand, some of these kids still can’t integrate. one has to ask why it’s only the ones from pakistani backgrounds who are having all these issues and difficulties. i think it’s something to do with their own communities. even the ones whose parents are from afghanistan, iran, iraq, saudi, they’re all fine and doing well.
it’s very hard to be south asian in the u.k. as ones community really messes with your head. i’m hindu and from a posh community where most people are well off but they still find a way to interfere and belittle me. the south asians in the usa are much nicer. i know because i did my masters in boston and met lots of nice people. (sorry for the rant, felt like venting.)
I’m sorry but these poor terrorists life is so hard crap just gets to me. I would much rather here about victims then these loser scum who want to bring the world back to dark ages.
I just found out that one of my best friends aunt and uncle were in the Hotel in Mumbai and are lucky to be alive. http://www.theprovince.com/Sports/Kelowna+couple+stay+room/1003191/story.html
A ha! it’s clear now. The real root cause of islamic terrorism is … prosecution of islamic terrorists!
The great Riz MC is in this. He is pure class. these two films were very good, with many flaws, but by taking it’s time and given each character and as the great riz mc said in a interview we see the character as a person FIRST, then a Muslim or mi5 agent or bomber.
There are some really good bits in Nasima’s story. Won’t give away the ending.
Riz is a great friend. He played a punk house in Chicago with us, and is currently hitting the US for a tour.
MC RIZ is hitting Chicago and New York soon, check it:
Al Thawra + Riz MC + All Natural
Pulaski Park Fieldhouse
1419 W Blackhawk St (between Noble and Cleaver Sts) Bucktown/Wicker Park, Chicago
312-742-7559 El: Blue to Division. Bus: 9, 70, 72 | Directions Prices Tickets: donation $5. All ages Description Local Islamic punk outfit Al Thawra headline and underground hip-hop outfit All Natural opens. Filmmaker Omar Majeed opens tonight’s program with clips from his forthcoming documentary, Taqwacore. Wed 6pm .
New York Date is in Williamsburg (hipstastan!) on Friday 5th December. “AVAAZ @ Assembley Rooms, Williamsburg, NY”
Listen to Radar, Post 9/11 Blues, bitter taste in my mouth, there’s some good rhymes. We’ve been on tour together, and he puts on a show every time.
My kingdom for cable television! Will have to wait for it to appear on hulu – if it does.
8 · BasimKomina said
I would like a show that delves deeper into the standard littany of Muslim grievances. Questions at the top of my list: a)Where do Pakistanis & Bangladeshis who have no problem with Pakistan & Bangladesh being constitutionally defined as Muslim get off critiquing Hindutva? I would like them to say “Don’t follow our path, it doesnt work”. I am anti-Hindutva but am very curious as to how these people see no irony in lecturing us b) How do people get away with invoking Kashmir? I would think that ethnically cleansing most of the minority Hindu community and then demanding a plebiscite to do something illiberal (i.e. create an independent Muslim state or join with an existing one)would not get much one sympathy from the Left but damn they do like to keep it fresh by surprising us. I know it is morally deplorable, but how could such a person find fault with Gujurati Hindus using the electoral system to re-elect a thug like Modi?
Let the equivocating begin
Riz Ahmed, also known as MC Riz. All you need to know about him and his shtick is summed up in this article by Nirpal Dhaliwal [ link ]
+++++
Recently I saw Riz Ahmed, the Muslim star of the Channel 4 drama Britz, rapping at a BBC concert. Woolly-hatted, gesticulating like he was straight outta Compton, MC Riz wanted to look like a ghetto player rather than a nerdy Asian mummy’s boy as he bewailed his oppression and the crimes of George W Bush. Trendy Asians nodded in solidarity while white hipsters gazed adoringly….
….Living in a country that provides them with more freedom and protection than any Islamic society in history, many British Muslims have cultivated the mystique of victimhood because victims are cool. From the Channel 4 executives who titled their drama Britz (emulating gangsta rap) to the fashionistas who drape themselves in Palestinian keffiyeh headscarves, every lame wannabe aligns with the supposed plight of British Muslims, hoping to look a little edgier as a result.
Millions of Muslims die through poverty and malnutrition in Asia and Africa, but their agony doesn’t concern their British brethren as much as that of Iraqis, because starvation isn’t as hip as being bombed. And the hundreds of thousands of Muslims tortured and murdered by Muslim regimes get none of the sympathy reserved for the comparative handful killed by Israelis.
Hizb ut-Tahrir yesterday denounced Jonathan Evans for creating a “climate of fear and mistrust” and will never concede that Muslims are better off in Britain than in Bangladesh.
Rather than fixate on the Middle East and perceived slights at home, British Muslims should consider the whole world and their fortunate position in it. It might cure those suffering from the hysteria and hypocrisy that extremists exploit – and help them realise that being British is something to feel grateful for.
+++++
The funny thing about Riz Ahmed when he raps about oppresion is that he is the son of prosperous professionals, grew up in a middle class suburb of London, and attended the biggest bastion of privelige in Britain, Oxford University.
Britz, at the end of the day, is an apologia for terrorism and jihadism, and presents the explanations that Islamists provide to justify their ideology and actions at face value. We don’t need to fantasise these things — just read the transcripts of the video speeches of the suicide bombers from Leeds who murdered 55 people in London. None of whom came from impoverished backgrounds, but were all up to their necks in the most toxic, hate filled Jihadi culture you will ever see. Kosminsky’s drama is profoundly dishonest in this regard. And a more sorry spectacle of moronic white liberal self loathing, and denial of the roots of Islamist rage you could not hope to see.
It’s extraordinary only in that it is extraordinarily risible, extraorindarily dishonest, extraordinarily simplistic, extraordinarily bereft of reflection, extraordinarily untruthful.
The Left has a big blind spot today. It correctly identifies fascism when it sees it in most instances. Political types of fascism, fascism that would make a white person with a list of grievances put a bomb in a place that killed black or Jewish people, Jewish settlers who might machine gun innocent Palestinians in a mosque, or Hindu extremists with a list of grievances who persecute Muslims or Christians.
But when it comes to fascism in the guise of Islamism, parts of the Left sigh, weep, and justify. If it comes in a two part TV drama that links together a bog standard east-west culture clash narrative (oh I’m so confused growing up brown in the West), hooked to a slyly admiring adventure accepting the self-justification about the genesis and gestation of murderous fascism in the guise of Islam, well, this is irresistible for many on the Left, and also for some who superficially identify with ‘hyphenated culture-clas identity issues’ too.
9 · bess said
there is no class warfare at SM. All comrades are issued digital cable boxes with DVR capabilities.
This documentary must be cool, dude! It even pluralizez with a z and all…
My vote for best film so far about radicalization of British-Pakistani Muslims is Hanif Khureishi’s “My son, the fanatic”, because it doesn’t try to explain radicalization, as much as depict the randomness and irrationality behind it. And Om Puri was just phenomenal in it.
(Unfortunately, the inferior “East is east” which was released around the same time, and is another movie of British-Pakistani muslims – and clearly, there is public space for only one – got far more publicity, because it was easier to consume as it had all the expected comedy bits and followed the Miramaxish indie formula much more closely.)
Where do I sign up?!
Did anyone else actually watch it? Or are all the comments about the movie based on what the movie is supposed to be – not by people who actually watched it?
It seems like the comments are most riled up about Nasima’s perspective – which is the one showing tonight and I’m also really hesitant about how it will be portrayed. Sohail’s story was about how his pursuit of Islam led him to catch terrorists. I don’t see how that storyline even remotely justifies terrorism.
I’m from England and watched it when it was first broadcast Taz.
seen it and got it on DVD. woooooooo!! 😉
I never thought it shows any justification to terrorism. It shows these people as people, with lives before they are defined as two dimensional people.
Watched it and loved it. Waiting for Nasima’s story today. I’d highly recommend part 1 to those who haven’t watched it yet.
england is over. the only people there are muslims and eastern europeans. the english are all moving to australia, france, spain, canada. in london there is not a day that goes by that you don’t here an eastern european language on the street, subway or bus. upper class hindus are moving back to india because of the booming economy or they are moving to the US.
24 · SC Bose said
Taz, are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Islamic party?
25 · Rahul said
I am a Muslim. That likes to party. That’s about as close as it gets.
Back on topic, please?
To steel a bit from the Howard Stern show about how people cry about everything.
“I am Muslim and cant find myself, WAHHHHHHHHHHHH”
“I live in a country that does everything possible to make my religion as free as possible but one perceived slight of my religion and I might become a terrorist even though I will never do anything to help freedom of religion the birth place of my ancestors because the only real crimes can be against Islam, WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
“There is a sentence in the Koran that can be taken to justify my act of terrorism so I just might become a terrorist, WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
I am so sick of confused people.
And yes I know I used the wrong Steal/steel
When is Sepia going to get a “Edit” function for the comments?
17 · bess said
Po’ folks without DVR privileges can go here: http://tv-links.cc/movie/britz.htm#
it appears to be not so seamlessly chopped from the first part (can anyone who has seen it verify?)
Thanks, Nayagan comrade sir!
I am so sick of this moral ambivalence by so-called “moderate” muslims ! And what is so eerie is that it finds resonance in the Hindu right. I am sick of “moderate” muslims who feel “victimized” by airport security. I am sick of “moderate” Hindus who whine about being “victimized” in a nation where they are still an 80 percent majority. I am sick of “moderate” Muslims talking about Gujrat and muslim terrorists, and “moderate” Hindus talking about burnt trains and Gujrat, as if one act of bestial violence can be justified/explained/understood/mitigated by another. I find this post very disturbing in so many ways.
I was particularly compelled with how the movie addresses the idea that “terrorists don’t simply exist, but are created”: This is the classic approach of an apologist. Every murdering SOB has a perfectly valid reason and probably a “compelling” story of how he chose his path. So what ? I assure you the Hindu youth who chose to kill innocent muslims in riots will have very “compelling” stories about how they were sick of being killed by muslims and “repressive government policies”, that they decided to seek “justice”. What I find striking in this sentence is the phrase are created, which shifts responsibility from the person who chooses to kill innocent people in cold blood (lest we forget what it is that terrorists do), to some greater forces and circumstances which create terrorists, namely the dreaded “system” and “society”.
The second thing I find disturbing is the casual juxtaposition of a person who joins the defence of the state and is fighting for justice for Muslims through being on “the inside”. , with someone who is left feeling so angry at, and estranged from, the country of her birth, that she becomes a terrorist. As if these are two equally reasonable responses to imagined/real grievances. As if defending your country is not that very different from being a terrorist, “defending” your religion. That is so intellectually dishonest. Terrorists kill civilians in cold blood. That is their stated goal. Every army seeks to protect its civilian population, and minimize civilian casualties on the other side. An army officer who intentionally kills civilians is court-martialled, not rewarded with 72 virgins. Big difference.
11, # 12 & # 13
WORD!
Micro review tailored to DHS/home office interests: not an apologia for suicide bombing. If you felt that it was, please explain how such a sodden lump of earnestness could advance any number of the jumbled notions and muddled commentary it clumsily concealed within obvious plot twists and barely communicated by uneven acting performances.
And I am so incredibly sick of vapid commenters that use the phrase “I am so sick of [fill in the blank]…” Don’t come here to rant about [fill in the blank]. You can do that into your pillow. Ranting is a waste of your time and ours. Thanks.
Thanks for the recommendation, I would have missed this otherwise…..it was quite and intense episode!
Riz MC did a guest blog for Anglophenia, the BBC AMERICA blog about British pop culture.
Rahul your namesake was partying during the attacks in mumbai too.It wouldn’t surprise me if you two were in a partying mood during this difficult period in mumbai.
36 · SC Bose said
Actually, that was me. I comment on Sepia when I am not partying.
it’s very hard to be south asian in the u.k. as ones community really messes with your head. i’m hindu and from a posh community where most people are well off but they still find a way to interfere and belittle me. the south asians in the usa are much nicer. i know because i did my masters in boston and met lots of nice people. (sorry for the rant, felt like venting.)
Some of this could due to a difference in the two countries view on immigration.
.…Living in a country that provides them with more freedom and protection than any Islamic society in history, many British Muslims have cultivated the mystique of victimhood because victims are cool. From the Channel 4 executives who titled their drama Britz (emulating gangsta rap) to the fashionistas who drape themselves in Palestinian keffiyeh headscarves, every lame wannabe aligns with the supposed plight of British Muslims, hoping to look a little edgier as a result.
Can we blame Bush for the plight of British Muslims?
Hizb ut-Tahrir yesterday denounced Jonathan Evans for creating a “climate of fear and mistrust” and will never concede that Muslims are better off in Britain than in Bangladesh.
Can we start a fund for Mr.Hizb ut-Tahrir for a one way ticket to Bangladesh. I hate to see the stress the poor guy must be dealing with living in place like England.
Hey Abhi Ever read deadspin? It has the funniest commenters in the world of blogs and the only way you can become one is to email your comments to the “Master” and if he thinks your good enough then you can become a regular. I suggest you do the same thing and should only blame yourself for allowing people to comment like they do.
Did not mean to rant. I have rarely commented here before, but this post just triggered a very strong response in me. For the past week, I like many other Indians have grappled with a dreadful sense of vulnerability and the real possibility that our country might slip into violent chaos. I know it is difficult for an American to understand that fear – the system here is far more stable. The pain is still very raw in India – people are still burying and cremating bodies. Perhaps not the best time for such a post ? But yes, it is your blog, an American (not Indian) blog and I am free not to read it. I know.
I stand by one thing – I truly believe that we need to be unequivocal in the condemnation of terror and blurring the lines only legitimizes the terrorists. That being said, I am sorry for being so personal in my comment. It was absolutely unwarranted. I think I will now go scream into my pillow as someone suggested.
34 · Vedauwoo said
Yeah…I was very uncomfortable after watching last night’s half of the movie – I think cuz I identified with her as a political organizer and being a Muslim woman, and then she just went bad (in a way I would never see myself doing). I saw where a lot of the comments here were coming from after watching Part 2. I also don’t think the connection in her mind was clear to us viewers – it kinda seemed an abrupt transition into jihadist – and it should have been done better. Maybe it would have been to complex to give her character depth, but I think Part 2 was lacking far more than Part 1.
Taz I agree it could have used another half hour or so. One bit that always stands out is the bit when she is asked if she has ever been pregnant. I found that bit sad. Her political views thoughts overshadow everything including her family.
The last scene where the film shows her video, expressing her reasons, blaming the government, then blaming everyone else for not doing anything. It’s like one of the videos of the London Bombings a few years back, “as my brothers and sisters are being killed in Palestine, Afghanistanâ€. It’s the last image you see and is how I remember her, a killer of innocent lives.
I did not see it as a justification in terrorism. If the film was trying to achieve change in British Law it showed this way is never going to change anything.
one thing that irked me was when the campus “jihad” recruiter asked her to name laws she had changed through her activism, she should/could have countered that terrorist attacks influence legislation in terrible ways. sure letter writing and protests don’t have much effect, but a single terrorist attack can and has justified laws that go against your original goal of justice. without 9/11, would we have the Patriot Act?
Abhi #33 – Love your posts, comments and generally having you on SM. This is why I find your comment rather abrupt and in a slightly poor taste.
Firstly, your comment is way too condescending. You could have made your point in a relatively non-pedantic fashion, without sitting on the high chair. It is your forum, and of course, you can do it. But was unnecessary.
Secondly, your comment comes off as if you have not read the post at all and were just infuriated by the “i am so sick of this&that”. the OP has made at least a few valid points, and it would have behooved you to at least acknowledge those. To give credit to OP, he understood the gist of what you said and ignored the medium.
Lastly, the response should/could have come from Taz.
Sorry about the rant 🙂
I too, Like Taz could not figure out why she would transition into a jihadist. There was a huge chunk of character development missing which completely ultimately undermined the seriousness of the subject matter.