Marmoulak

First, I need to thank the Seattle International Film Festival for locating a copy of this movie and screening it. They went to enormous lengths to make sure a few hundred Americans saw The Lizard, but it was worth it.

The film focuses on Reza "The Lizard," a robber doing time in a prison run by a warden who plans to make him go on a "diet for the soul," so that Reza can enter heaven. Reza has obviously had some negative experiences with religion in the past, and this doesn't do anything to change his view. When he sees an opportunity to escape by dressing as a Mullah, Reza, fearless of the religious implications, takes it. Hilarity ensues.

He ends up in a small town where he must pose as the new leader of their mosque. In so doing, Reza is given a unique opportunity: to create a religion built not on the hypocrisy of others and all the negative things he sees other religious people doing, but one that truly represents the positive possibilities of his faith.

I am firmly agnostic and my study of religion is and always has been one born of curiosity rather than personal belief. This movie was inspiring and moving in a way that few others are, not only for its eventual embracement of the good aspects of all faiths but as a simple parable that religion is unique to each person rather than a reflection of the negativity of some of its practitioners.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this movie will ever be on DVD, and except for the one copy screened at SIFF 2005 it will probably never make it outside of Iran (where it was banned for being sacrilegious). If you ever get an opportunity to see The Lizard, don't pass it up.

Living in Iraq with almost the same enormous and irrational religious influence on community i appreciated the movie to be the real expression of educated and enlightened people living in the shadows of injustice and multiple boundaries that is limiting the talents.The movie is giving us very important message about what God and religion is all about.

Just saw this film at its American debut (?) at the Neptune Theater as part of the Seattle Int'l Film Festival. Marmoulak (The Lizard) is a heartwarming and saddening tale about a man on the run who disguises himself as a Mullah while trying to sneak across the border to get out of Iran. A comedic satire in the tradition of La Ley de Herodes, Marmoulak is full of gentle humanist irony which becomes sadly evident but never too overt. Parvis Parastui gives an outstanding performance in the lead, and all the supporting roles are also acted at a highly competent level. The story and cinematography are quite professional as well. After a very successful run, Marmoulak was banned in Iran as sacrilegious. It's definitely worth checking out. Every American who thinks about the nuclear option when the Middle East is discussed should certainly be forced to watch this film.

It's rare to see a film that as much as it amuses, it also takes an angle on serious matters. These last fifteen years have seen a series of films flourishing out of the path of some very talented Persian directors, expressing their views on life, on people, on the political issues and so on, through an anthology of subjects that come to show with finesse things that couldn't be said otherwise. "Marmoolak" is one of those. Only here, the destiny of men and women of an entire country subject to the whims of its rulers symbolized here by one man (the fake cleric played with gusto and talent by Parviz Parastui) is shown not by the means of drama, but throughout comedy. And comedy is something that Persians seem to know about. To say that this film is funny is a euphemism. There is situation comedy here, and it is treated with much lightness. But if one goes farther and looks through it, one can easily capture the fate of an entire people. Works like this, in the form of a film or a book, etc, usually help change things. Let's hope this one does. Talent as they say, has no boundary.

I had the chance of watching this excellent movie yesterday at the Montreal World Film Festival. This is the second Iranian film that I've seen (the first was 'Taste of Cherry') and I'm enchanted.

This is the story of a thief who has an extraordinary agility at climbing walls just like a lizard (Marmoulak), his escape from prison, and his redemption. To hide his identity, he becomes a mullah (Muslim religious scholar) and improvises as best as he can. The dialogs on theology and Muslim daily life are funny, yet very powerful. This excellent movie is not only a slap to the ruling clergy in Iran, but also a slap to religious fundamentalism of any faith.

The acting is very good. The 'Mullah' role is performed beautifully and the Lizard gives the Mullah the right dose of authority and charisma while remaining a very down-to-earth person. I enjoyed every minute. This is a movie that I'll be delighted to watch again.

Highly recommended. 9/10