The Past

Parental Rating: No Rating

Contains: Language    Adult Content    

Jill's Review

Opens in Dallas January 17, 2014

Runs 120 minutes

Country of Origin:  Iran

Directed by Asghar Farhadi, who directed last year's superb "The Separation", this is the story of Ahmad who is summoned to Paris from Iran by his estranged wife Marie (Bérénice Bejo) in order to finalize their divorce so she can marry Samir, her new boyfriend.   There are complications because Samir is sill married, his wife is in a coma and his young son is very confused. Marie's daughter is very distraught and distant and Ahmad tries to help smooth out her relationship with her mother and Samir.  Eventually, secrets from the past are revealed and the movie begins to feel like a thriller.  Until the very end, you are never sure what the next revelation will be. It seems that Farhadi is a director who likes his last scenes to stay with you well after the movie has ended.

The movie is in French and Persian and it moves deliberately at first.  Eventually, you forget you are reading subtitles.  This was a nominee for best Foreign Film for the Golden Globes.  Not sure why it didn't make the cut for the Oscars.  Go see it.

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