tanvir301

I have watched a lot of Iranian films, and was already familiar with their consistent high standard. Even then, this movie came as a revelation. A film solely acted in by amateur child artists, devoid of big name stars, this film shows us how war can strip children of their innocence and the childhood that they so richly deserve. We see children maturing suddenly and shouldering responsibilities that even adults would struggle to undertake. We see the relentless and bleak circumstances leading to gradual erosion of humanity and destruction of motherly instinct in the face of overwhelming ugliness of war. But amongst all these, there are rare glimpses of humor, budding romance and acts of kindness that restore faith in the resilience of human spirit. The storytelling is superb, devoid of melodrama and pseudo-emotional blackmail that we have so much become accustomed to, thanks to 'audience-tested' blockbusters. If you have become jaded by contrived tugs at your heart-strings and want to have your faith restored in the pure magic of cinematic story-telling, along with a rare glimpse of the range of emotions that will remind you how complex it is to define what means to be human, then this is the movie for you.

As a passionate movie buff, I have the highest regard for Ray's films. That has been reconfirmed after watching this subtly nuanced film from Ray. To the casual viewer, it might seem like the escapades of four middle class gentlemen when they go out of their constrictive surroundings into the wilderness and meet three women. However, a rigorous viewing will expose different layers, some surprising, and others not so surprising. With flawless and fluid direction, Ray tells a story of love lost, confidence regained, inhibitions of a conservative society blown away, overwhelming sadness, and the joy and freedom of coming close to nature. Even though it is quite an old film, it speaks of the human nature and its eternal characteristics so beautifully, that it does not seem dated at all- which is the mark of a classic. Highly recommended.