Illustration titled "India rubber balls of the manufactories of Albert Cohen, Vaillant & Co." from the Illustrated Catalogue of the Industrial Department, 1862
Chris Morris isn't really a household name in the US - shows like Brass Eye and Nathan Barley haven't aired in the US - but his penchant for controversial "issue" comedy is well-known and well-liked in the UK. Four Lions is Morris's first feature film as writer and director, and it's no surprise that its main characters are a cell of Jihadi terrorists living in northern England. Morris strikes a good balance with Four Lions between funny, sympathetic characters and uncomfortable subject matter, but the movie is only not a disaster because the jokes are consistently good.
It helps that the terrorist-wannabe fivesome are lovably incompetent. Omar is smart and really cares about his friends, but his dedication to the cause (including his supportive wife and son!) is the most unnerving aspect of the movie. Waj and Fessel are idiots (to a degree that threatens to derail the movie at some points), but they are trying to do good. And Barry and Hassan are attention-seeking jerks with dubious reasons for being involved in terrorism. As their casual involvement in the Jihad movement gradually escalates, the dynamic of the group shifts and the movie's discomfort level ratchets up considerably. But the humor keeps coming until the wild conclusion, even though Morris never shies away from confronting the core issue of the movie while having fun with it.
I had some logistical issues with Four Lions that many US viewers will likely share - the fast-moving, heavily accented dialogue can be hard to follow, particularly as it often switches into Urdu (?) without warning. Also, some of the cultural references are going to be unfamiliar to a lot of Americans. Oh, and also IT'S A COMEDY ABOUT JIHADI TERRORISTS. People may have some issues with that. If you've enjoyed the recent edgy, "discomfort" comedies coming out of the UK, though, Four Lions might be something you'd enjoy.
"Terror" by the Stockholm Monsters
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