The Salesman

Starring: Taraneh Alidoosti, Shahab Hosseini, Babak Karimi, Mina Sadati
Directed by: Asghar Farhadi
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Thriller
2016

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man's (Shahab Hosseini) wife (Taraneh Alidoosti) is assaulted in their home.

Review:

Tim: I've been criminally negligent in my attempts to watch foreign language films. I like them, I want to see more, but I feel like I'm always behind. I made a special effort to see The Salesman, the Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language film. I really enjoyed the film from Iran, so much so that I do need to track down other films by Asghar Farhadi (starting with A Separation) and I need to make the time to see more foreign films. This one is a small movie, but certainly a very good one.

We are dropped into Iran and we follow a story that only an Iranian could tell. I loved how the film felt so intimate. Iran may seem like this exotic, troublesome place to us Americans, but the Iran depicted here felt authentic- the country is filled with regular people trying to live their lives. They face the same ups and downs that people anywhere experience. I very much enjoyed getting to know the characters in this film. It was wonderful to see regular Iranians in this dramatic thriller. Their story felt devoid of the polish and glamor that Hollywood seems to put on any character-driven story. This felt true to Iran, not an overly stylized, Hollywood production. That felt very refreshing to me.

The story unfolds in a very interesting way- it's certainly a slow boil. For much of the film, not a lot happens, and I was okay with that- it felt authentic. And yet, the movie doesn't put the strictness of reality ahead of telling a good story- things do happen, the story eventually reaches its climax, and the destination is well worth the journey.

I loved the performance of Shahab Hosseini. He never seemed like he was acting. He embodied this character so well and you were able to quickly identify with him. I liked his character, I was invested in his story and I wanted him to be okay. Hosseini's strong performance is what creates that emotional connection with him and it's one of the strongest aspects of the film. I mostly liked Taraneh Alidoosti, although she had a far harder job. She's the victim of the home assault, and her character's reaction is a bizarre one (although there's really no judgment in how people respond to violence like this). It's unexpected and it's hard to know what to make of her character or how she's processing the frightening events she experienced. Some of my confusion might have been due to her performance, some to the writing. Alidoosti is never bad- she certainly gives a strong, memorable performance. It's just not quite as accessible as Hosseini's. Babak Karimi gives a great supporting performance as well. You have to give Farhadi credit- he certainly gives his cast ample opportunity to showcase their talent. This is a film that is very much about the cast. I loved the space the actors had to bring their characters to life.

While I thoroughly enjoyed The Salesman, I'd have to stop short of calling it a great movie. I was emotionally invested, but the climax didn't quite push me over the edge. In a slow burn like this, the ending really needed to deliver a knockout blow. I thought it was effective, but not quite as powerful as needed. That's what the movie needed to slip into greatness territory. It didn't quite make it, but that doesn't take anything away from this thoroughly enjoyable, challenging, thought-provoking film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
A Separation