A SEPARATION (2011) - Quick Thoughts
(written and directed by Asghar Farhadi)
On a Friday night with no plans until later and the desire to put off watching Vanilla Ice’s classic COOL AS ICE for as long as possible, I found myself with an opportunity to view the Oscar-nominated Iranian film, A SEPARATION. Instead of a full-length review as per usual, I just have some quick thoughts.
- First, the rating is easily a **** 1/2 out of 5.
- It is extremely well made. Well acted. Well told.
- There is some great talent here that I certainly hope we see more of in the future.
- Hollywood could sure borrow some of this films subtlety and pacing.
- It utilizes every second of its runtime to properly construct the tale.
- This is a movie that NEEDS to be seen however possible, but I took great comfort in watching it at home. It can be frustrating watching these characters and their loose play with the term “honesty.” I found myself yelling at the screen and covering my head in a mix of disgust, shock, and anger.
- Can we talk about that ending? I knew it was going to end like that. I could just feel it coming and when it did, my reaction was anger. By that point, the answer is inconsequential, but still I would have liked one.
- While touted as a family drama about divorce, the film spends very little time dealing with the craters of that trauma. What does the title, A SEPARATION, mean for you?
This is a movie that will sit in my head for awhile. It was really well-executed and certainly deserving of its numerous accolades. However, it is a difficult film to say I really liked. Maybe I will have to come back to this film again later with a full review and work my way through it.
Fans of foreign films and human dramas, consider this a must see. It takes it time, focusing on story, characters, tone, and reflection of culture to weave an important tale of the impact of our interactions with one another.
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