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This is a British film that portrays a devoted – if not religious – middle-aged Muslim whose life revolves around his family and religion. He suddenly discovers that he was actually born into an orthodox Jewish family and adopted by Muslims at age two. Despite the obvious comic implications, this theme thrusts our Archie-Bunker-like hero into a serious identity crisis, while threatening to undo the family life to which he has long been devoted. A great joy, among others delights in the film, is watching the shocked reaction of our main character (Omid Djalili, a British-Iranian comedian) to his discovery that he is Jewish. In his mind the words of everyone around him, including his family, suddenly accuse him of being a Jew.

Our hero eventually discovers that his real father is still alive, but barely clinging to life in a nursing home. He is banned from a meeting by the father’s rabbi/guardian until he can at least learn a bit about Jewish culture and act like a Jew so as not to upset his dying father. The tutorial services of an alcoholic Jewish neighbor/cab driver are engaged.

Imagine that you wake up one morning and discover that you only are not who you thought you were, but that your identity has become that of a member of a culture you had previously disliked, if not despised. This would probably be a life-changing exercise for many of us. This film also deals with feelings of persecution held by many who identify strongly with their culture. This is a film of no small significance, largely because it forces viewers like us to consider what we would do if stripped of our long-held identify and made to encounter, if not embrace, the word-view of a culture we had habitually rejected. Highly recommended.