The Muslims Are Coming!

Last updated
The Muslims Are Coming!
Directed by Negin Farsad
Dean Obeidallah
StarringNegin Farsad
Dean Obeidallah
Production
company
Distributed byFilmbuff
Release date
  • September 12, 2013 (2013-09-12)(United States)
Running time
81 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Muslims Are Coming! is a 2013 American comedy documentary film co-directed and co-starring Negin Farsad and Dean Obeidallah. It follows a team of Muslim-American comedians as they tour the American South and Southwest performing free stand-up comedy shows, and engaging in community activities, with an aim to "reach out to Middle America" and counter Islamophobia.

Contents

Synopsis

The film opens with a montage of television and radio clips of comments from figures such as Frank Gaffney, Herman Cain, Ann Coulter, Bryan Fischer, Pat Robertson, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Maher, and Donald Trump expressing fear of Islam, or mistrust of Muslims.

Farsad and Obeidallah explain what motivated them to attempt to change the negative perception of Muslims in America: for Farsad it was claims that Obama was a secret Muslim (with its implication that being Muslim was in itself something negative); and for Obeidallah it was the virulence of the opposition to the "Ground Zero Mosque".

In Columbus, Georgia, they visit a gun show and perform in a bar. They perform in Gainesville, Florida.

In Lawrenceville, Georgia, they set up a "Ask a Muslim Booth" in the town center. At the Islamic Center of Columbus (also known as Masjid Al-Jannah), they stop to have iftar. At AMF Peach Lanes in Columbus, they invite community members to "Bowl with a Muslim".

After performing in Birmingham, Alabama, they invite passers-by to play "Name That Religion" where they try to guess if a quote read to them came from the Old Testament, New Testament, or the Koran.

In Tupelo, Mississippi, they attempt to get on an American Family Association radio show. After being denied their request to get on the air, they drop in on the AFA headquarters and have an audience with the General Manager Dr. Buster Williams.

Back in Lawrenceville, they visit Bulls-Eye Indoor Range & Gun Shop to shoot guns.

In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, they visit the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro (the site of a controversy beginning in 2010) and perform at Middle Tennessee State University.

In Tucson, Arizona, they perform at El Casino Ballroom.

In Salt Lake City, Utah, they perform at The Complex, and in front of the Salt Lake Temple they hold a sign inviting passers-by to "Hug a Muslim".

Individuals involved in production

Cast of comedians

Muslim comedians whose performances are featured in the film include Dean Obeidallah, Negin Farsad, Maysoon Zayid, Aron Kader, Omar Elba, Preacher Moss, Kareem Omary. Non-Muslim comedians featured include Scott Blakeman and Janeane Garofalo.

The following celebrities, pundits, activists, and religious figures are featured in the film discussing anti-Muslim bigotry in America and/or commenting on the power of comedy:

Release

The film premiered at the Austin Film Festival where it received the "Comedy Vanguard Audience Award". [1]

The Muslims Are Coming! was released in select cities in September 2013 including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Seattle and New Brunswick. It became available on 24 September 2013 through iTunes, Amazon downloads and video on demand. It was released on Netflix on 21 January 2014. [2]

Reception

Accolades

YearAwardOrganizationCategoryResult
2012Audience Awards Austin Film Festival Comedy Vanguard Audience AwardWon [1]

Entertainment Weekly [ citation needed ] and the Chicago Tribune named it as a film to catch in fall 2013. [3]

The Austin Chronicle made it a critic's pick, calling the film: "...really effing funny." [4]

Reviews

The Muslims Are Coming! received a mixed reception from film critics. Review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reports the film as holding an overall 53% positive approval rating based on 15 reviews, and a rating average of 5.2 out of 10. [5] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 0–100 reviews from film critics, the film has a rating score of 48 based on 9 reviews, classified as a "Mixed or average" reviewed film. [6]

Frank Scheck, in The Hollywood Reporter , wrote that "[a]lthough not wholly successful in its sociological aspirations, the film does provide both considerable laughs and food for thought. [...] The film wanders at times into trivial territory [...] And it delves into all-too-familiar terrain[...] But it nonetheless makes its important points in entertaining fashion, and the onscreen commentary by a gallery of figures [...] is both thoughtful and funny." [7] Nick A. Zaino III of The Boston Globe felt that the film was "at its best when the comedians talk to real people outside the controlled environment of a stage." [8]

Jordan Hoffman in the New York Daily News called it a "mild, moderately interesting road documentary", and stated that "[t]he unfortunate thing is ... these folks aren’t all that funny. [...] Viewers outside the tristate area may have their minds blown. The rest of us may be only mildly amused." [9] Ben Sachs, writing in the Chicago Reader , observed that "evidently, mediocre stand-up can be surprisingly effective in promoting ethnic and religious tolerance. For better and for worse, this feels less like a feature film than a stretched-out Daily Show segment." [10]

Peter Rainer of The Christian Science Monitor gave the film a C− grade saying "[t]he comedy routines are so-so (though the falling-in-the-aisles reaction shots tell another story) and the comics’ patchwork odyssey often derails into irrelevancies". [11] Writing for The New York Times , Miriam Bale gave the film two and a half stars out of five, and said that "this well-intentioned 'docu-comedy' (as the filmmakers label it in publicity notes) is not very funny." [12]

Dean Essner of Slant Magazine gave the film gave the film one and a half stars out of four, calling it "a film that wastes a fascinating premise on its main characters' obsession with reducing everything to a joke, the attempted humor is neither ground- nor barrier-breaking. [13]

Annlee Ellingson of the Los Angeles Times commented that the directors' "try to keep it light, even a little cheesy, in the face of at-times infuriating anti-Muslim attitudes — an approach that best serves their goal of giving America 'this big Muslim hug.'" [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Reality Bites</i> 1994 American film

Reality Bites is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Helen Childress and directed by Ben Stiller in the latter's feature directorial debut. It stars Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Stiller, with supporting roles by Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn. The plot follows Lelaina (Ryder), an aspiring videographer working on a documentary called Reality Bites about the disenchanted lives of her friends and roommates. Their challenges exemplify some of the career and lifestyle choices faced by Generation X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Besser</span> American actor and comedian

Matthew Gregory Besser is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer, best known as one of the four founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, who had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000. He currently hosts the improvisation-based podcast Improv4humans on the Earwolf podcasting network.

Bryant Reginald Moss, best known by his stage name Preacher Moss, is an American stand-up comedian and writer. He is best known as one third of comedy trio Allah Made Me Funny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Obeidallah</span> American journalist and comedian

Dean Obeidallah is an American lawyer, comedian, and journalist. He is the host of SiriusXM Progress' The Dean Obeidallah Show and a frequent contributor to CNN, The Daily Beast, and MSNBC.

Azhar Muhammad Usman is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer of Indian descent. He is a former lecturer, community activist and lawyer and has been referred to as the "Ayatollah of Comedy" and "Bin Laughin". He is best known as one third of comedy trio Allah Made Me Funny. In December 2020, Marvel Studios announced that Usman had joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, agreeing to play Najaf on the cast of the studio's Ms. Marvel original streaming series for Disney+.

Israeli–Palestinian Comedy Tour was founded in November 2006 by Palestinian comedian and columnist Ray Hanania and Israeli comedian and online Podcaster Charley Warady. Arab-American Palestinian comedian and award-winning journalist Ray Hanania and his companions from the Israeli–Palestinian Comedy Tour operate under the slogan: "If we can laugh together, we can live together".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aron Kader</span> American comedian (born 1974)

Aron Kader is an American comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Negin Farsad</span> Comedian and director

Negin Farsad is an Iranian-American comedian, actress, writer, and filmmaker based in New York City.

<i>Nerdcore Rising</i> (film) 2008 film

Nerdcore Rising is a documentary/concert film starring MC Frontalot and other nerdcore hip hop artists such as mc chris, Wheelie Cyberman of Optimus Rhyme and MC Lars, with contributors from artists such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, Prince Paul, and Brian Posehn. The film, directed and produced by Negin Farsad, was premiered at the 2008 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. It combines interviews about nerdcore and its origins with footage of MC Frontalot's 2006 Nerdcore Rising national tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maysoon Zayid</span> American actress

Maysoon Zayid is an American actress and comedian. Of Palestinian descent, she is known as one of America's first Muslim women comedians.

<i>Funny People</i> 2009 film by Judd Apatow

Funny People is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Judd Apatow, co-produced by Apatow Productions and Madison 23 Productions, and starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann with Eric Bana, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman in supporting roles. The film follows a famous comedian who is diagnosed with a terminal disease and tries to fix the relationships in his life while befriending an aspiring comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janeane Garofalo</span> American stand-up comedian and actress

Janeane Marie Garofalo is an American comedian, actress, and former co-host on the now-defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed Amer</span> Palestinian American comedian

Mohammed Mustafa Amer is a Palestinian American stand-up comedian. He is best known for his Netflix comedy special Mo Amer: The Vagabond, and his role as one third of the comedy trio Allah Made Me Funny. He also starred for two seasons, alongside comedian Ramy Youssef, in the Hulu sitcom Ramy as Ramy's cousin Mo, who owns a diner. He stars in the film Black Adam. He also created and stars in a Netflix TV show called Mo. The show is loosely based on his own experience growing up as a Palestinian refugee and was released in August 2022. Amer will host the 2023 season of Doha Debates' flagship series, to be filmed before a live audience in Qatar's Education City.

Lion is the fifth album by American musician, comedian, and actor Stephen Lynch, released in 2012. The first half of the album was recorded at Studio G! and the second half of the album was recorded live from Symphony Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hisham Fageeh</span>

Hisham Fageeh is a comedian and actor from Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allah Made Me Funny</span> American stand-up comedy troupe

Allah Made Me Funny are an American stand-up comedy troupe consisting of Bryant "Preacher" Moss, Azhar Usman, and Azeem Muhammad, who was later replaced by Mohammed "Mo" Amer. They are the longest-running artistic collective of Muslim comic performers in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgetown Comedy Festival</span>

The Bridgetown Comedy Festival is a stand-up comedy festival located in the Hawthorne district of Portland, Oregon that took place every spring from 2008 to 2017, featuring standup comedy showcases, live podcasts, panel discussions and improv comedy. It was created in October 2007 by comedians Andy Wood and Matt Braunger and filmmaker Kimberly Brady.

<i>Hamlet</i> (2011 film) 2011 Canadian film

Hamlet is a 2011 Canadian drama film written and directed by Bruce Ramsay in his directorial debut. It is a condensed retelling of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet set in 1940s England. Ramsay stars alongside Lara Gilchrist, Peter Wingfield, Gillian Barber, and Duncan Fraser. It premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival and was theatrically released in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminist comedy</span>

Feminist comedy refers to comedic acts and styles that further feminist principles, including gender equality and awareness of the social experience of gender. Comedy, the creative works with the intention of humor, has been historically dominated by men. The current comedy culture climate remains male-focused and is currently accepting of women comedians. The conversation surrounding gender-aware comedy has included articles and opinions from many male comedians and fans that are rooted in the idea that women aren’t funny, despite protest from successful female comedians and audiences. However, there is a difference between female humor and feminist humor. As a practice, feminist comedy is not solely comedy performed by women, as many women, especially early female comics, “served to reinforce… cultural stereotypes” and patriarchal views about women and gender. While some scholars have argued that this is because feminism may be antithetical to comedy, which is often described as an aggressive, necessarily masculine act in which the performer centers themselves, others have argued that humor's inclination to subvert hierarchies makes it a particularly effective communication platform for feminist comedians. Feminist comedy frequently references and discusses female-gendered issues and topics such as menstruation, rape, gender inequality, beauty norms, and machismo. Along the lines of intersectionality, which suggests that social identities and systems of oppression are interrelated, many feminist comedians also discuss homophobia, racism, and transphobia.

<i>The Secret Lives of Dorks</i> 2013 American film

The Secret Lives of Dorks is a 2013 American independent comedy film directed by Salomé Breziner and starring Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Marano, Riley Voelkel, Beau Mirchoff and Jim Belushi.

References

  1. 1 2 Kimberley Jones (30 October 2012). "AFF2012: Audience Awards Announced". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Palmer, Nancy Doyle (19 January 2014). "The Muslims Are Coming -- to Netflix". The Huffington Post . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Chicago Tribune
  4. ↑ The Austin Chronicle
  5. ↑ "The Muslims Are Coming (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster, Inc. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "The Muslims Are Coming!". Metacritic . CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Frank Scheck (19 September 2013). "The Muslims Are Coming!: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Nick A. Zaino III (26 September 2013). "'The Muslims Are Coming' delivers a surprising punch line". The Boston Globe . Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  9. ↑ Hoffman, Jordan (19 September 2013). "Movie reviews: 'The Colony,' 'Haute Cuisine' and 'The Muslims Are Coming!'". New York Daily News . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Sachs, Ben. "The Muslims Are Coming!". Chicago Reader . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Rainer, Peter (20 September 2013). "'The Muslims Are Coming!' often derails into irrelevancy". The Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  12. ↑ Bale, Miriam (19 September 2013). "Will Islamic Stand-Up Play in Peoria?". The New York Times . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  13. ↑ Essner, Dean (16 September 2013). "FILM REVIEW: The Muslims Are Coming!". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  14. ↑ Ellingson, Annlee (12 September 2013). "Review: 'The Muslims Are Coming!' comedians are playfully serious". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 17 March 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.