Ryan Gosling’s “amazing” forgotten drama lands new UK streaming home

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The 2001 drama The Believer, featuring a young Ryan Gosling, is now available to stream in the UK. The film tells the story of Daniel Balint, a Jewish man who becomes involved with neo-Nazis.

The film, written and directed by Henry Bean, draws inspiration from a true story. It’s based on an account co-written by Bean and Mark Jacobson, which centers on Dan Burros, a man involved with the American Nazi Party whose Jewish heritage was exposed by a reporter from The New York Times.

Twelve-year-old Danny Balint is a remarkably bright and inquisitive boy who enjoys debating with religious scholars and skillfully avoids trouble with local bullies.

By the age of twenty-two, he had become a skinhead, living by himself and spending time online exploring websites related to armed groups. During this time, his anti-Jewish beliefs became increasingly elaborate and intense.

I’m really excited about the cast for this movie! Along with Ryan Gosling, they’ve got Billy Zane, who I remember from Waltzing with Brando, Theresa Russell, who was awesome in Black Widow, and Summer Phoenix, who I really liked in Esther Kahn.

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I’m so excited! The Believer is now available on Prime Video in the UK, so I can finally watch it whenever I want!

Critics are loving the film, giving it an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 95 reviews. They especially appreciate how thoughtfully the movie deals with its sensitive topic.

According to The Independent, everyone is entitled to create films, even those that don’t focus on religion, and Rowan Bean’s latest film is both exceptionally well-made and deeply compassionate.

According to The Oregonian, the film is powerful and unusual, bravely confronting evil and admitting that it can be complex and surprisingly appealing.

I was really struck by the movie’s script, written by Henry Bean. It didn’t give me simple answers, which I appreciated, but it really made me think about the tension between believing something and understanding it with your mind. It was a really compelling exploration of that idea.

Wow, I’ve been reading reviews of this movie and they’re incredible! Rolling Stone called it a total mind-blower – a whirlwind of ideas that will keep you glued to your seat. And Variety said it’s really impressive how skillfully the film tackles difficult and sensitive topics. I’m so excited to see it now!

The Believer is now streaming on Prime Video in the UK.

The latest issue of Living Legends, a beautiful, full-color 100-page tribute to Sir David Attenborough, is now available! You can purchase it at newsstands or online.

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2026-04-11 00:49