99% A Separation

What a terrific film. At first, A Separation appears to be only about a difficult decision that ruins an already dissolving marriage; then, as the layers are peeled back, it becomes a compelling glimpse into a contemporary Persian culture, where class, religious and family stratification permeate throughout. It raises globally relevant questions about responsibility, the subjectivity and contingency of "telling the truth," and of how thin the line can be between inflexibility and pride -- especially with respect to Iranian men -- and selfishness and tyranny. The performances are top notch (led by Sareh Bayat), and director Asghar Farhadi does a great job of picking his spots -- at once, he composes uncomplicated compositions and sequences and let his actors loose, which leads to some of the most morally and psychologically complex character development in recent memory; and then he'll rigidly frame his shots and gracefully move the camera in an effort to inform the narrative. Also, his commitment to symbolism and a brisk editing pace would make even Hitchcock proud.In terms of plotting, the stakes are wisely established early on, and the rest of the film approaches the proceedings from every angle imaginable, making the viewer revere and loathe every character, sometimes in the same breath. Perhaps what I admired most about A Separation (and this is the edict of all Art House cinema) is how it gets so much out of so little. Shot mostly on hand held cameras, relatively crude cinematography, and nothing much in terms of production or art design -- but it doesn't matter, the core of the film is remarkably strong, and that's what counts, even in today's cinematic climate. It's minimalistic and economic, but it's also deeply affecting -- and, for my money, the best film of 2011.

February 5, 2012

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_separation_2011/

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