Written & Directed By: Jafar Panahi

Cinematography: Amin Jafari

Editor: Amir Etminan

Cast: Vahid Mobaseseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Madjid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmahr, Delmaz Najafi, Afssaneh Najmabodi, George Hashemzedah 

An unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man’s identity.

It’s Best to go into not knowing too much about the film I only went as it was so highly recommended and rated. Though now there are spoilers in this review.

I was not prepared for what I saw, though that was half the fun of it was discovering the characters the film the story as it went along as we’re not given that much initial information we have to go with what we are being shown and wondering where this is all going to go and then once the story does set itself up, we follow with bated breath

As the film is a morality tale overall, in which there is a central mystery to everything and as it goes along, we’re introduced to new characters who have their own stories and show us different ways of dealing with grief, but also raise the mystery even deeper and thankfully are not just types. They might be representations of different moods, but overall they do feel like real characters.

The film ask you as a revenge tale what would you do and to look at humanity your morals, your sense of justice in finding peace and could you ever with questionable or maybe purely circumstantial evidence?

If the film does have, I won’t say a weakness, but a problem is in the third act the confession so easily given just felt a little too easy. It would’ve been better if we are left questioning if this character is giving a confession only so they can escape or be let go and be with their family, but it’s made pretty clear that is who they are or who they were and the reasons why.

after the admission, when telling why they did this, that was also could be felt as a false note but it also kind of works because that is where I feel like they’re really trying to explain themselves make excuses and try to plead so that they can see their family again

What one can appreciate mostly about this film is that it isn’t done in an intricate thriller way it’s done in a matter of fact every day type of fashion. There was no grand plan. It’s as in pest as the initial act itself and it’s adults dealing with emotions and a ticking time bomb of a situation who act in the same way, not like experts field technicians, soldiers, cops, career criminals, or anything like that just normal people trying to decide what to do and that feels like a breath of fresh air, especially in modern cinema, as you can only usually find this, unfortunately, in either Indie productions or foreign films. There seems to be a lack of adult storytelling in filmmaking in major cinema, but this is no surprise to anyone reading.

It’s a thriller that plays as a drama or a drama that tries to play like a thriller, either way it’s engaging, and it takes its time to tell its story rather than feeling rushed. There’s a film. You might wanna watch more than once and that you might feel a different way watching the second or third time and you did the first when you’re privy to more information.

 I was surprised to find out that I had seen one of the director Jafar Panahi’s films before he’s directed many but I’ve only seen one of them which was the film OFFSIDE which still deals with a serious situation and is dramatic but it’s a little bit more lighthearted and dare I say a little indefinite has a happier ending that feels all encompassing. As this film is heavy, though thankfully not as depressing as it could’ve been. Nor quite as down trodden that goes for the characters also. 

By the end, you understand the title as you wonder was it fate for this to happen or was it just one of those random coincidences?

It has one of the most tension filled and scary endings, especially in a drama that one has felt in quite some time

Grade: A