Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on March 27, 2014 at 10:20:29

Iranian director, Asghar Farhadi. Like his previous masterwork, "A Separation," a relationship is brought to crisis by external events that are complex and seemingly irreversible in their impact.
An Iranian, who left his wife and family years earlier to return home, returns to France and his French wife to finalize their divorce. To his surprise, she has set up a new home with another Iranian who himself is living through a crisis.
Yes, it indeed seems like a melodramatic plot, yet it is anything but. Rather, it's a fascinating exploration of how human beings deal with the imperfect world, struggling against their wishes and expectations for a perfect one. A loving wife, a dedicated husband, well-mannered and respectful children--- are these even possible, the director seems to ask?
Farhadi has assembled a cracker-jack cast that never responds the way the viewer, long accustomed to Hollywood films, would expect: the acting uniformly is natural. The writing, also, because of its verisimilitude, creates a very different experience than, say, "The Blue Jasmine," with its reliance on "the moment" wherein the star explodes and utters memorable lines. The film also refreshingly is bare of idiosyncratic or feisty personages, a la "The Blue Jasmine."
Don't expect a dreary film, however. The resilience, complexity, and humanity of the characters elevate this film.
NOT to be missed.