There are some films which stay with you for a long, long time Pans Labyrinth, Secrets In Their Eyes, Lives Of Others. This stunning Iranian drama belongs in that category, and who knows, when the history of cinema is finally written, it might even climb above those masterpieces. It is brave, powerful beyond words, brilliantly acted and stunningly realized.
The title pretty much gives away the central scene of the story, but it takes its time to build up to that stomach-churning sequence. It opens with a quote from a 14th century Iranian poet: Don’t act like the hypocrite, who thinks he can conceal his wiles while loudly quoting the Koran. It then shows a journalist breaking down in a small Iranian village, who is then grabbed by Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo, Oscar-nominated for House of Shadows And Fog) who tells him her story.
Her niece, Soraya (Marnò), is a loving mother of four whose brutal husband, Ali, wants out of their marriage so he can marry a 14-year-old girl. Soraya wants a divorce, but the villages elders decide the best thing is for her to go and work for an old man whose wife has recently died. She agrees, doing his washing and cooking, and he in turn treats her kindly. Ali however wants his ounce of flesh, and concocts an adultery charge, for which the punishment is stoning to death.
Despite Zahras desperate efforts to save her niece, Soraya is buried up to her waist in the village square and slowly, brutally, stoned to death. Its worth pointing out here that the film does not shy away from showing the stoning in all of its full, gory horror it takes a long time for a person to die from stoning. The scene is rendered even more shocking by the presence of Sorayas family her father does actually symbolically cast the first stone, and her sons join in.
Based on a true story, its difficult to overstate just how much emotional impact this story has. It is measured, beautifully written and clearly, but with great skill, exposes the hypocrisy and evil of a society based on bullying, greed and corruption. Yet for all of the obstacles the women face in the film, the character of Zahra shows how bullies can be stood up to use your brain, your mouth and sometimes your body to get in their way, the film argues.
If it sounds like a harrowing watch well, it is but there are also moments of great beauty, especially when Soraya escapes with her two gorgeous daughters for a day out by the river picking flowers. That scene will come back at a crucial moment later in the film. A story like this does depend hugely on the performances, and they are titanic throughout. Aghdashloo as aunt Zahra in particular gives a quite brilliant display, desperately trying to prevent this terrible event virtually alone and armed only with her voice and her laser-like eyes. Marnò too as Soraya is fantastic, genuinely baffled by her accusations and desperate to protect her children against a tidal wave of corruption and abuse.
The final frame, a photograph of the real Soraya, would seem like a cheap shot in a lesser film, but here it is entirely justified. Straight into the top 10 films of the year, no question.
Overall Verdict: Powerhouse of a film about a corrupt and emotionally bankrupt regime, made by brave, hugely skillful people. Just brilliant.
Reviewer: Mike Martin