La couleur du paradis

This film is one of the few films that can really touch everyone -- from the beginning to the end this movie gripped me, and made me sympathize with the main character on large levels. And not only was the film complete in its' development of the main character but it seems that each and every character that appear in this film are incredibly human and can be related to.

The story alone is touching, and with the great work done in the filming and great acting performances, this is one of the films that will really stay with me. As far as films go, this is a must see for anyone and everyone -- a film that unfolds a sad, human story as well as a great hope for the future all at the same time.

This is the first Iranin film I have ever watched and I have made it a project of mine to watch many more. This movie is so sweet and loving, but most of all it is honest. Unlike American films, Iranian films seem to be very open and even brutally honest about thier pain and frustration. Maybe it's because for many thier situations are so dire and we in America are so jaded by therapy and talk show catch phrases to just open op and fully express how we feel. The pain that Muhammed and his family felt came accross as very real and genuine. The art direction was beautiful, I had no idea that Iran was such a beautiful place. It was so ironic that the best part of his home was the part that poor Muhammed could not see but he felt it deeply. I would strongly suggest that you watch this movie. Even if your not into subtitles. My boyfriend and I came accross this movie at 2AM one night and had no intention of watching it, but after the first ten minutes we were hooked and talked about it for days. It is magnificent.

Majid Majidi, director and writer of the much-acclaimed "The Children of Heaven" has again proven to the world that he is able to demonstrate weighty ideas through simple depictions of everyday life in Iran. He shows audiences that his country is not just a place where reform movements, revolutions, and embassy seizing take place; but also where beautiful films are made. His new motion picture; "The Color of Paradise" is a real treat. It is about faith and belief, unconditional love and compassion, hardship and hope; and is both powerful and effective.

The lead character is a blind 8-year-old boy named Mohammad (Mohsen Ramezani). He is filled with compassion and has unlimited abilities to reach out to the world around him. Mohammad attends a school for the blind in Tehran. The school is closing for the summer and students are being sent home to their parents; most of them eagerly await their kids at the front gate just outside their dormitories. Hashem (Hossein Mahjub), Mohammad's father, is not eager to see him. In fact, he shows up so much later than everyone else that Mohammad had almost lost hope of ever seeing him again.

While waiting for his dad, the 8-year-old boy, although filled with anguish, did not shut himself down from the outside world. He successfully rescues a baby bird, climbs a tree, and returns it to its nest. All despite his inability to see.

Mohammad's dad finally shows up and requests that the school keep his son. Being told that this is not possible, he reluctantly takes the boy home.

This is where writer director Majid Majidi's cinematic brilliancy comes into play. His ability to let the audience experience both the visually impaired and visually unimpaired worlds without ever abandoning one for the other is simply remarkable. We can see and feel both, the beauties of the boy's surroundings, and his own world where touching and hearing replace seeing.

The photography is breathtaking as father and son trek home from the busy streets of Tehran into traders' and jewelry shops, then to the green mountains and fertile plains in the heights of northern Iran. Mohammad's arrival spurs bursts of joy from his Granny (Salime Feizi), the matriarch and surrogate mother since his mom passed away; and his two sisters (Elham Sharifi and Farahnaz Safari) with genuine angelic smiles. They are happy to see him, as they are ready to share an active farm life with him.

Mohammad's admiration for nature is almost addictive; whether it's walking through fields of flowers, or running his hand over ripening grain, or having fresh water running through his fingers, or hearing birds' songs, a donkey braying or examining the sound of a gathering storm; he literally finds the patterns of Braille in everything around him. Sounds like a loveable kid? Not so, according to his dad's needs. For him, the blind son is a burden, which prevents him from moving on with his life, and marrying a younger woman. Hashem is not a malevolent man. He is an impoverished, fast-aging, widowed, spiritually blind, hard-working charcoal maker who sees very little hope with the status quo. So despite the staunch opposition of his mother, he is determined to send Mohammad off to a blind carpenter for woodworking apprenticeship. But is he ready to bear the consequences of acting against Granny and the universal laws that govern the relationship between a parent and his offspring?

"The Color of Paradise" takes viewers on an incredible journey of faith and love and creates a masterpiece of emotion that is so beautiful in its simplicity and elegance it touches one's heart. It is done without forcing anything on the audience until the very last frame. This film does not preach. And it does not need to; its richness lies in its ability to portray basic elements of nature in their ordinary state. In places where Hollywood counterparts would have inserted blasting soundtracks, this movie simply lets nature echo in the background. Its soundtracks mostly consist of nature's own. In times of great suspense, the sound of nature (not human-made music) helps its audience through the changing moods.

Couple these facts with almost flawless acting, it's hard to compare this film with anything else in its league. It is simply Iranian cinema at its best. Mohsen Ramezani, who plays Mohammad, is excellent. A scene, in which he breaks down in tears over his tribulations and questions God for making his dad not wanting him, is brutally heart wrenching. Mohammad eventually shows us that it is possible to feel God's hand even if one can't see the color of paradise.

This is one of the most, if not the most, moving film you may ever see. The story of Mohammed will break your heart. At many points in the film even the most restrained viewer will find themselves in tears. Mohammed's hope, determination and good nature will inspire you and teach you lessons about how you face your own life. The happier scenes in the film, such as when Mohammed is playing with his sisters or spending time with his beloved grandmother, will touch you. Prepare for the ending of this film, as it will move you to tears.

I urge you to try to see this movie. The acting is brilliant but totally natural. I don't recall ever seeing a child who is as fine an actor as the boy who played Mohammed, and not for a moment did his "acting" ever get in the way of the story. The cinematography is breath-taking. I'm sure no one who has not been to Iran has any idea at all that it is this beautiful. There is plenty of symbolism for any particular point of view, which makes it fun to talk about after you see it, and although it is probably intended to be religious from the Islam point of view, you could probably find in this movie your own brand of spirituality, or lack of it, if you cared to try. I, a typically cynical and jaded New Yorker, and my completely enthusiastic and non-jaded adolescent daughter, both loved it and hope to see it again. So go see it and make it a success so we can get more movies like it over here!!