i be really disappointed with this movie . it just do not make sense . i can not believe all the 5 star reviewer . do basic storytelling matter to you people . ok and where to begin . gosling danny bolint be a militantly self hat jew . why . not sure really . through use of some clumsily overdramatic flashback and we learn that danny enrage his hebrew school teacher by challenge long accept law of judaism . ok and fine . so danny learn some untraditional teaching from his father . how that evolve into violent hatred for his own religion be anyone guess . well and a another reviewer write with the title and you good believe this movie deserve 5 star explain representsoon thereafter we learn that danny himself be a yeshiva student . he a jew who have become a nazi skinhead . exactly . hey buddy and how do we go from point a to point b here . so his father teach him some non traditional interpretation of the torah and suddenly he some violent hard core jewish nazi . huh . i think we need a little more than that people . another reviewer state that you could tear any movie apart if you want to . perhaps that be true . but this be a fundamental part of this movie . it a fascinating concept that deserve a reasonable explanation . this movie fail miserably on this crucial point and that alone should keep it from 5 star and but of course and there be much more representok and so after go into a synagogue and this violent nazi who have no qualm about beat up jewish kid and set up bomb in synagogoes to kill dozen of jew and have the uncontrollable urge to protect the torah from his friend and other religous property . not just that and but he reveal his immense knowledge of judaism in front all his fellow nazi and give them obvious hint that he jewish and for no apparent reason and throughout the film ( ex . wear a hebrew cloth inside his shirt and keep and protect object from the synagogue and go to a temple and say a jewish prayer in his room and in front of fellow nazi and teach his bizarre girlfriend hebrew . why do she want to learn it . don not ask me ) . even though he say to the reporter that he would kill himself if it be ever find out he be jewish he give these obvious clue throughout the film . when danny be with his friend attempt to shoot at a jewish couple and he find he can not or would not do it and and then his hebrew cloth be reveal to his friend who realize he jewish . danny then shoot at him and leave the area . ok. soooo what happen to his friend . be he dead . be he injured . do he survive to tell anyone . the character completely dissapears and we never hear what happen to him . once again and thats amateurish storytelling at best and dissapearing character be not a minor detail . jeez and i would get upset if this happen at a local high school play and let alone an award winner that i be pay money for . another unexplained event in the film be perhaps the best part represent during the resensitivity seminar when danny and his friend hear story from holocaust survivers . danny offend the speaker and walk out prematurely even though the instructor warn him that he will be resentenced if he leave . ok. so what happen next . do he go back to court . be he sentence to jail . be he fin . be he a fugitive . well ask the 5 star reviewer and the fanatic in this website all these question and because after watch the movie i can provide you with none . keep in mind and i be ignore the emotionless and puzzle girlfriend play by phoenix and be she a fascist . what be her politics . why do she like danny . why do she like to get physically hit by danny . why danny show no anger or emotion at phoenix or zane when he saw them make love and the make out scene the day after and right when danny just throw up and what exactly make danny so incredibly valuable to zane and the fascist and zane laughable hairpiece and etc etc etc . point be and i be willing to accept all that a be minor and however i can not accept the huge hole in the script . basic point like why he a jewish nazi and what turn this violent person around so dramatically and and the missing and unexplained character or event throughout the film . sorry for the long review and but i be truly disappointed with this film . expect much well .