Rosewater

Based on the book 'And then they came for me' by Maziar Bahari who is a London based Iranian journalist. Both his father and sister were victims of the State. First under the Shah and then the Ayatollah's both for being Communists.

He travelled to Iran to cover the elections of 2009; the results were wildly contested by the public and international media – seeing them as rigged. Bahari covered the subsequent rioting and the lethal clamp down by the Iranian forces and got the news out; this is a country where the State controls all aspects of life including access to satellite programmes, books and news. For that he was arrested and tortured; this is his story.

This film was made by Jon Stewart who interviewed Bahari for a spoof he did on his show. That footage was used to try to prove Bahari was a spy for the corrupt West. Gael Garcia Bernal stars as Bahari and as always puts in a superb performance – he is one of my favourite actors so I am a bit biased. This is a film that takes its time but it manages to still be hard hitting enough to have the impact I feel it was aiming for. It uses genuine footage as well to recreate the times and it a better watch for it. One for fans of World cinema that is easy to recommend.

"Rosewater" (2014 release; 103 min.) brings the true story of Iranian-born journalist Maziar Bahari. As the movie opens, it is "June 21, 2009", when we see Iranian police arrest Bahari at his mother's house in Tehran. We then go back to June 9, 2009, a few days before the presidential elections in Iran. Bahari is making final preparations in the UK for his trip to Iran, and we learn that his wife is pregnant. To tell you much more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for your self how it all plays out.

Several comments: first, much of the movie's claim to fame comes from the fact that this is written and directed by Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show. Stewart's script is based on Bahari's memoir "Then They Came For Me". Second, the movie is divided up into 2 halves: in the first half we see what transpires in the days before and after the elections, and the second half brings the imprisonment of Bahari. I must admit I enjoyed the first half more, not because the second half is "bad", but because Stewart pulls no punches on the emotional and psychological torture which Bahari must endure. Some scenes are simply very tough to watch. Stewart uses quite a bit of archive footage in the first half of the movie. Third, the infamous scene from The Daily Show in which Bahari is mock-interviewed by an American "spy", is played up in the movie, to great effect (the Iranian interrogator/torturer asks: "why did you interview the American spy?", to which Bahari responds: "if he was really a spy, why would he have his own TV show?", ha!). There are several other lighter moments which benefit the movie greatly. At one point Bahari obtains an interview with an Iranian spokesman by offering chocolates. "Allah is no match for chocolates", Bahari tells his co-workers, ha! Last but not least, there is a nice orchestral soundtrack, composed by veteran Howard Shore.

The movie opened on all of 2 screens for all of Greater Cincinnati this weekend. I had been looking forward to this, and went to see it right away. The early evening screening I saw this at was not particularly well attended, but this doesn't surprise me. This is not particularly a feel-good movie, and not for a broad audience. If on the other hand you are interested in the topic, I would readily recommend that you check out this movie, be in the theater, or later on DVD/Blu-ray.

This film is recommended.

Comedian and television host Jon Stewart took a leave of absence from his television work to make this powerful political drama, Rosewater, a film that became a small part of his life after filming a faux-news segment on his Daily Show gig. That interview became evidence to try and convict that guest, Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-born journalist. (In 2009, Bahari was arrested in Iran while covering a story for Newsweek and falsely accused of being a spy.) Stewart took a personal interest in his story due to his subsequent involvement with this reporter.

Like the prisoners in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bahari retreats into a fantasy world in order to keep his sanity over the many long months during this ordeal. His scenes in solitary confinement serve in sharp contrast with memories of his past life, as one is immediately drawn into his plight. Rosewater vividly chronicles this injustice as it focuses on his imprisonment and torture.

Bahari (Gael García Bernal) is arrested soon after the movie opens, while his mother, Moloojoon (Shohreh Aghdashloo), helplessly looks on. The film takes its time with its exposition of the political ramifications of an election and the country's divide among its party leaders and supporters. The protests lead to the harrowing sequences of brutal interrogation between Bahari and his captor, Javadi (Kim Bodnia) that are the majority of the film's content. (Bahari spends most of these scenes blindfolded and his only connection with his interrogator is the heavy scent of rosewater wore by his adversary, hence the title.)

First time writer / director Stewart skillfully builds the tension and frustration faced by this prisoner and wisely allows the two actors to play off each other in subtle and overt ways. Sometimes the atmospheric photography is self-conscious, with too much hand-held camera-work overused in order to try to capture the frenzied state of revolution; other times, he keeps a keen visual eye as the events unfold, as when walking the streets of Iran and flooding its windows with surreal images of Bahari's family amid the social unrest.

Bernal is very effective as Bahari. One can sense the fear and inner strength within this character by the physical choices that the actor makes, from his trembling voice to his stoic posturing. The role might be written as too saintly and heroic, but Bernal downplays that aspect beautifully. Especially touching is Bernal's inspired dance against oppression set to a Leonard Cohen song. His is a strong and memorable portrayal of a man who has lost freedom but not his sense of hope. The same can be adversely said of the thankless role of the evil interrogator. As his opponent, Bodnia is a commanding force, both as actor and written character. The film succeed primarily due to their spirited performances.

The political debating between the two men plays out like a point/ counterpoint segment as each tries to gain the psychological advantage of the other. Although the moviegoer may already know the outcome of the film, the escalating dangers between captor and captive make for predictable but still riveting viewing.

The film does become slightly preachy and self-righteous as its point-of-view is strictly on the side of its protagonist. But the impact of an innocent man wronged by a tyrannical regime resonates with understated power. Rosewater is an important film that documents the perils of journalism in a crazed world where politics and religion frequently undermine rational thinking, all at the cost of one's man's precious freedom. GRADE: B

Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.com

ANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: jadepietro@rcn.com

In 2009, Maziar Bahari (Gael García Bernal) travels to his homeland to report on the Iranian election for Newsweek. His father was once imprison for being a communist and so was his late sister. He does a segment with The Daily Show. When Ahmadinejad is declared the winner, protests erupted and he's arrested. He is imprisoned for 4 months facing constant interrogation.

The movie is pretty compelling for the first 30 minutes. It's interesting history and good drama. After getting imprisoned, the movie doesn't have quite as much. Jon Stewart doesn't really have any interesting style and that section needs that something out of the box. It's earnest and so is everybody else. Jon could have gone surreal. It's pretty straight forward with some attempts at dark humor. It's a fine informative film.

The first thing everyone notes about this film is that it's Jon Stewart's directorial debut... and he did a great job. His characteristic humor is definitely present and rightly downplayed in deference to the serious subject. It flourishes when necessary, and when it does, his wit is as sharp as ever.

Stewart took some chances. Most importantly, he set the film in English instead of Persian with subtitles. While this brings a broader audience it diminishes the film's authenticity a bit. It's a calculated cost/benefit decision that I reluctantly agree with. The story is important and should reach as many people as possible. Still, he could have mixed in more Persian for a slightly better balance.

The language decision also opened the door to casting non-Persian actors, particularly the lead. Gael García Bernal played his highly nuanced character superbly but the role could have gone to one of many talented and available Persian actors. They would have added to the film's authenticity without sacrificing its artistic merit.

Once we get past these relatively minor language and ethnicity issues with the actors we find they are realistic and believable. To Stewart's (and Maziar Bahari's) credit, the Iranian officials are not the usual flat, black and white caricatures we love to hate in mainstream media; they are dynamic, regular people, crazed and ignorant to us, but "normal" in their own world. As Bahari said in an interview, even his torturer saw what he did as "a job", with benefits and overtime. This shifts the focus onto the corrupt institutions of the Iranian regime instead of mere personalities that can be summarily dismissed.

By countering the norm for demonizing all things Iran-related, Rosewater sets itself apart as a uniquely thoughtful, fascinating, important and relevant film.