Review of The Color of Paradise (1999) by Aliya D — 19 May 2008
You may find it difficult to rent a quiet, deceptively simple film about a few months in the life of a blind boy, but overcome your resistance and treat yourself to one of the finest films from 2000. This is one of the most beautiful looking films you'll ever see.
The cinematography is simply spectacular. The story deeply moving and unforgettable. And yes you'll most likely have to read subtitles (though not that many) unless you speak Farsi. The film comes close to Spielberg-ian heartstring pulling manipulation, it's also powerful, uncompromising and a film that gets all of its details exactly right.
Towards the end, the story descends into scripted tragedy and a contrived, action-packed climax (unusual for a cinema known for its restraint), and the emotional tenor turns sentimental and cloying, but Majidi turns it all around with an astounding, heartbreakingly powerful final image.
If there is one thing many Iranian films have in common, it's an unerring sense of how to end a film. This is one of the most affecting ever: beautiful, moving, simple, a glowing moment that crystallizes the entire movie.
This review of The Color of Paradise (1999) was written by Aliya D on 19 May 2008.
The Color of Paradise has generally received very positive reviews.
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