Review of A Separation (2011) by Tomas — 31 Dec 2011
This is the film of the year. Its concerns are universal. The drifting apart of a married couple and their daughter, as tensions build up and small lies spin out of control. Everyone has good reasons for what they do and their own truth which looks like lies and distortions to others.
This does not add up to a harmonious life. That it all this place in contemporary Iran with its strictures and deprivations only adds to the drama as social classes and degrees of religious observance collide and clash.
The characters are flawlessly acted and their imperfections completely authentic. The camera work is brilliant with frequent closeups of actors who seem completely real. There is no preaching or taking sides, the film is humanistic in its sympathy for all the characters even when they transgress.
This is movie-making at its best, reminiscent of the films that came from central and eastern Europe during the communist era and its immediate aftermath.
This review of A Separation (2011) was written by Tomas on 31 Dec 2011.
A Separation has generally received very positive reviews.
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