Review of A Separation (2011) by Patrick B — 07 Mar 2012

What gets the ball rolling in "A Separation" is an unfortunate but seemingly ordinary series of events. If these events were to happen in America, not much would come of it. But with Iran's questionable justice system, and the culture of the country, these events explode into a series of moral dilemmas.

"A Separation" won best foreign film at the Oscars this year. It's easy to see why. Writer and director Asghar Farhadi tells this simple story like a film making master. Events are revealed at just the right times, and the dialogue allows for all sides to be heard and understood.

Often times in movies, when characters get into an argument, it's easy to see who is right and who is just being silly. Here, both sides have a strong point to make, and the way Farhadi fleshes out these points is nothing short of brilliant.

There was only one time where I felt the movie drag, and that was when the characters seemed to argue about the same thing over and over again. But this was a minor flaw in an otherwise great movie. If this is playing in your area, "A Separation" is definitely worth seeing, especially if you're in a city where this is coming out in the midst of the Hollywood dead season (like Kansas City).

It's as gripping as a slow-boil thriller, and as equally dense as an expertly realized drama.