I am impressed with the complexity of the characters in this film. Based on a book by Andre Dumas III, the film is a harrowing look at the intricate drama of a dispute between two people over the ownership of a house.
Kathy (Jennifer Connelly, DARK CITY) is a recovering drug addict who is going through a deep depression following the death of her father and departure of her husband. Due to a bureaucratic mistake, she loses her house over a $500 unpaid tax, which she never really owed. In the meantime, the state auctions her house, which is purchased by Iranian immigrant Massoud Amir Behrani (Ben Kingsley, SEXY BEAST). Behrani was a coronal in the military and used to own seafront land in his homeland until the Shah came into power. He works two jobs as a road maintenance worker and a clerk at a convenience store. He does this to try and keep up his family's wealthy lifestyle. He is angry at his state in life and rules over his wife Nadi (Shohreh Aghdashloo, MARYAM) with strong authority. However, down deep, he cares immensely for his family especially his teenage son Esmail (Jonathan Ahdout, film debut).
Kathy wants the house because it's her family home. Massoud wants the house because he views it as an investment that will bring back some of his family's dignity. Helping Kathy along the way is a police officer named Lester (Ron Eldard, BLACK HAWK DOWN) who means well, but isn't all that bright and is a classic facilitator for Kathy's addictions. The film never takes sides in the dispute and your sympathies often shift as the film develops more and more tension. The story concludes in a surprising and tragic way that throws into question the pressures of success in society.
The entire cast is phenomenal. Ben Kingsley deserved his Oscar nomination hands down and really showed how strong all the nominees were last year. Connelly is very subtle and even builds sympathy for her character even though we see her headed in the wrong direction. Aghdashloo well deserved her Oscar nomination and does a flawless job of creating a character driven by cultural demands, but filled by an inner sadness for the things lost in her life. How she nailed the broken English performance is so convincing you’d think she couldn't speak English fluently at all.
Director Vadim Perelman handles the material with a delicate hand and sure understanding of character. His screenplay lays out the scenes perfectly adding subtle conflict from one to the next. You might be able to see some of the ending coming, but not all of it. And what we can anticipate seems inevitable from the bad choices the characters have been making. We dread the road they are headed down, because we can see what's coming and they cannot. It's a heartbreaking tale of loss and regret that in a sad way reaffirms the things that really matter most in life.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
