Review of A Separation (2011) by Cheyne L — 27 Apr 2012
A masterful Iranian drama where the dissolution of a marriage leads to a tragic event that has dire consequences for two families. Appearing before a judge, a middle-class married couple ask for a divorce; the wife Simin (Leila Hatami) decides to leave her husband, Nader (Peyman Moadi), so that her daughter (Sarina Farhadi) can have a better life abroad; Nader wants to remain in his home to look after his father, who suffers from Alzheimer's.
A working-class woman is hired to be the father's caretaker when an accident leads to a contentious court case involving the fractured families. Writer-director Asghar Farhadi uses his story to explore wider themes of secularism vs fundamentalism, socio-economic division, and gender politics involving the family dynamics of contemporary life in theocratic Iran.
This is a morally complex domestic drama that is beautifully filmed and acted with simplicity and a rare empathetic humanity that calls to mind the best movies by Satyajit Ray, DeSica, and Renoir. Won Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
In Persian with English subtitles.
This review of A Separation (2011) was written by Cheyne L on 27 Apr 2012.
A Separation has generally received very positive reviews.
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