My Son the Fanatic . Tucson Weekly . 09-27-99

My Son the Fanatic

DIRECTED BY: Udayan Prasad

REVIEWED: 09-27-99

Udayan Prasad directs this complicated tale of a Pakistani immigrant who becomes an infidel twice over when he embraces a blatant contempt for his son's religious fanaticism and an adulterous passion for a young prostitute. It's a remarkable film because the questionable actions of the characters leave us with no easy choices. We want the father to set the son straight because his beliefs are hateful and stupid, but he's compromised his own moral authority with his unfaithfulness (as well as his being a sloppy drunk). We can almost understand his desire to seek love outside of a lifeless, platonic marriage, but can we forgive his unrepentant betrayal of a faithful and caring wife? Such ethical complexities make this a captivating story (I dread the inevitable lament of syndicated pinheads complaining that there's no character they can "root for" -- as if a movie were a football game).

--Greg Petix

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My Son the Fanatic
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My Son the Fanatic

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