A Separation

Nader (Peyman Moaadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami) are a well-off couple living with their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi, the director’s daughter) in Tehran. Their marriage crumbles when Simin wishes to leave Iran but Nader refuses to join her so that he may stay and care with his Alzheimer’s patient father. After Simin leaves, Nader hires Razieh (Sareh Bayat), a devoutly religious, lower-class (and, unbeknownst to Nader, pregnant) woman to perform housework. A dispute between Nader and Razieh over Nader’s father’s care turns ugly, and the confrontation leads to tragic consequences for everyone involved.

The Best Foreign Language Oscar winner in 2012, Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed film does its best to earn its lofty reputation. A Sepration’s biggest virtue, by far, is its moral complexity. No one’s hands are clean here, nor is anyone entirely to blame. Nader is motivated by filial duty, Simin by a desire to provide a better life for her family, Razieh by financial desperation, and Hodjat, Razieh’s hot-tempered husband, by mental instability. Amid this ambiguity, the closest thing to a true villain in the film is the Iranian judicial bureaucracy: a judge does not even raise his voice even when levying the most serious of charges. Given its critique of Iranian society, it’s surprising this film made it past the government censors.

A Separation’s premise is matched by its craftsmanship. The actors deliver impassioned performances, and the cinematography oozes realism (the film was shot with a handheld camera). Of course, that realism is not without its drawbacks. The conspicuous absence of music puts all of the viewer’s attention on the dialogue, which deadens the pace at times. Nevertheless, the all-around quality makes many contemporary films seem artificial and trite.

Though American viewers may feel tempted to put a great deal of distance between themselves and the world of this film, A Separation’s underlying message – life is full of difficult choices – is universal.

8.5/10