Post by StevePulaski on Aug 21, 2012 22:30:36 GMT -5
Leila Hatami and Peyman Moaadi.
Rating: ★★★★
Asghar Farhadi's A Separation is my first experience with Iranian cinema and it for sure won't be my last. It reminds me instantly of a quote said by American director Alexander Payne, "...I think there may be a problem with a world in which making small, human[...]films is 'an achievement.' It should be the norm." Just from this film, I would be justified in saying that Farhadi is Iran's Payne.
Here is a wonderfully made film that comes from a country that has been nothing but slandered for the last decade. We constantly hear horrible things are brewing in Iraq, such as suppression, inequality, unrest, and the increasing possibility of nuclear war, yet we see the tenderness and contemporary side of the country, where problems had by typical townfolk will mirror those of someone living in the United States. For a country so isolated and so different, it sure knows what notes to strike to hit home.
The opening scene focuses on Nader (Peyman Moaadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami), a couple who have been married for fourteen years and are now in court filing for divorce. The camera is positioned as if we are the judge, hearing both cases, with interruptions and simultaneous banter from each party. This gives us a great sense of angst, and the facial expressions on both characters are raw and authentic. They are divorcing because of grand contention when consulting their family's future, with Simin wanting to pack up and leave Iran in pursuit of a better life, wand Nader not wanting to leave his elderly father, who is tragically stricken with Alzheimer's.
Another debate hovering over both of their heads is the future of their eleven year old daughter, Termeh (played magnificently by Sarina Farhadi). She chooses to live with her father, because by doing so, her mother will not leave Iran, and their family will still be somewhat close. No child, regardless of background or country, should ever need to make a decision like Termeh's.
It dawns on Nader that because of work, he will need someone to watch his ailing father during the day. A woman named Razieh (Sareh Bayat) is hired as a caretaker for the man, who has limited his speaking to fragmented words and has now taken the life of a lion, laying in bed and sleeping for much of the day. One day, Nader and Termeh return home to an empty house to find the man lying on the floor unconscious, with one of his hands tied to the bedpost. Nader too discovers money missing from his home and when Razieh returns home, Nader erects an enormous argument which leads to harsh courtroom consequences after allegations raised by Razieh that she was physically assaulted.
Razieh is pregnant and is married to the demanding, vindictive troublemaker Hodjat (Shahab Hosseini), who only grows more and more demanding and agitated as time progresses. The two couples becomes unraveled by this tragedy, and the film begins to shed light on these character's decisions during this madness, following them on a relentless journey through the complications of marriage and impulsive decisions not meant to cause harm. I could label this Iran's version of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, a film where characters are faced with multiple decisions that need critical thinking in order to work out favorably, but I fear that would be an oversimplification.
A Separation does not hesitate to dig deep into the separation of ethics, morality, religion, politics, and economics in present-day Iran. Writer/director Farhadi carefully examines the restraints both law and faith have within Iranians, whose lives are particularly foreign and difficult to comprehend for Americans, who are without a doubt living with restraints we do not usually recognize. It's admirable the film doesn't get stuck in stylistic cliches, empty-headed aesthetics, and a list of cripplingly undeveloped characters. We see these characters with space and clarity, watching them as they travel along this unforgiving road of confusion none of them should be facing.
One actress that is likely to go unnoticed with four remarkable talents taking center stage is Sarina Farhadi's terrific portrayal of a youth caught in the middle of tireless madness. She is not made out to be the precocious tike who knows way too much, but is drawn more confused than her parents, who are caught in the middle of unfortunate circumstance. Much like the facial expressions of her parents, Farhadi's character Termeh holds those of innocence lost and fear of increasingly destructive trouble brewing. The hard part is knowing there is almost nothing she can do to stop it. She is forced to take a backseat while the ugly bleakness of the world drives around a labyrinth of confusion.
Farhadi's Iran in A Separation is the kind of nuanced one that must be seen. It shows its characters as humans, and not trigger-happy terrorists. It shows their problems as common, and not in an unconventional way that is impossible for audiences of other countries to not relate to or be unable to grasp. The film is a difficult one to thoroughly contemplate alone, and perhaps it's one of those that is better debated with close friends or acquaintances. Its morally complex and involving scenarios are overwhelming to try and fathom quietly.
Starring: Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhadi. Directed by: Asghar Farhadi.