The film could have done with more finesse in the way it begins and ends, but there are enough subtle shifts in the main act to keep me with it. After Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is [Mira] Nair's most engaging work.

Every new revelation is signposted so heavily, you can almost hear the hammer blows.

The film seems to dance around the idea of being really critical of America-of analogizing American "exceptionalism" with Islamic fundamentalism-and instead resolves itself with an ending more befitting of a beauty pageant contestant's speech.

The film has a thought-provoking perspective and admirable goal of portraying what it was like for Muslims living in America during the aftermath of 9/11, but the somewhat clunky and stuffed script hinders the message.