A story of courage & defiance in the face of state corruption & grave injustice that also touches on themes of ego, honour, morality & principles, A Man of Integrity is a quietly escalating thriller bolstered by stirring performances that shows what it means to be a decent man in an indecent world and the steep price one pays for challenging the powers that be in a system where money trumps morals.
Written & directed by Mohammad Rasoulof (The Seed of the Sacred Fig), the film is an incisive critique of Iran's authoritarian regime, and holds nothing back in its portrait of the moral decay within the bureaucracy. Brimming with tension & laced with raging intensity, this socio-political drama is almost always on verge of eruption and captures the destruction of the soul of a man trying to do the right thing.
Complemented by Rasoulof's restrained direction & splendid cinematography, the film depicts the unfairness of the whole ordeal our protagonist undergoes simply for refusing to give in but then in an effort to demonstrate how deeply rooted the issues are, the story is branched out a tad too much and is unevenly paced as well. Committed work from the cast is what holds this picture together and the actors play their roles responsibly.
Overall, A Man of Integrity is a powerful & provocative outing from the dissident filmmaker that takes a strong jab at authoritarianism with its fearless approach and does what it set out to do. The inconsistent pace, relaxed editing & overlong narrative does hurt the experience yet for the most part, it is a valiant effort from Rasoulof who refuses to let his work be dictated by those in power. In short, this incendiary social critique comes definitely recommended.
