From director Asghar Farhadi (I was in love with his Fireworks Wednesday from 2007) comes another tense devastating drama. Not to be missed. I was a wreck by the end of it. Definitely one of the best films of the year.
Review now up at Capital New York.
Early this year, when you featured Iranian movies, I finally took a look. I didn’t recall Fireworks Wednesday being one of the movies amongst the many reviewed and talked about and was sure I came across it on my own. Liked it a lot and look forward to seeing A Separation when it becomes available. Of those I’ve seen, The Party because of the political angle being the only exception, I don’t know that there’s anything so unique about Iranian movies other than they’re about people and their lives – something I wish the greater part of our American film industry would rediscover.
One last thing about the Iranian movies I’d seen – the acting. I was greatly impressed by the acting. Not from a technical or expert’s eye view (of which I know nothing), but just as a viewer finding every character uniformly interesting and far removed from cliché. Why that surprised me I don’t know, but it did.
Thanks for your excellent review. Just one thing to point out: Between “Fireworks Wednesday” and “A Separation”, Farhadi directed another masterpiece, “About Elly…”, which you didn’t mention in your review. A critic called these three film “The Trilogy of Lies” which I believe perfectly suites. And I think one can say that the various court scenes in “A Separation” can be considered a sort of embodiment for the theme of “impossibility of judgement” in “About Elly…”.
George – I think the circumstances under which these movies are made is what makes them so unique. They handle adult topics in an adult way. It is a breath of fresh air!
Siavash – thank you for reading! Yes, I loved About Elly too and your points are well taken. I didn’t mention it because I was more struck by the subtle use of the chador – which was definitely more present in Fireworks Wednesday, but it is a very similar theme. I love how he handles it.
A SEPARATION blew me away. I love all his films, but this one I found shattering to a degree that is very special. I was a wreck. Can’t wait to see it again.
This movie was on Korean TV last Saturday night. I recognized it from your review! Unfortunately, the subtitles were in Korean. Still, I was drawn in and hope to see it with English subs soon.
Oh man, yes, keep your eyes open for it. One of the best films I saw last year.