Rarely do we see a natural masterpiece reminiscent of the great Italian neorealist directors. Many people will sadly miss this film simply because it doesn't have the marketing or star power of a Hollywood film. The Iranian Majid Majidi directs his film with a natural, neorealist flair without effects or a big budget. His story of forbidden love is classic; the principal characters Lateef and Baran start off awkwardly since Baran dressed as a boy Rahmat in disguise takes Lateef's job at a construction site in Iran. Lateef is an argumentative trouble-maker who becomes jealous and treats Rahmat badly until he realizes, Rahmat is a girl, Baran. He becomes embarrassed and goes about mending his ways. Baran is obviously put off and confused by Lateef's oafishness and cruelty towards her. But at the end, after when they picked up the fruits and when she stumbles into the mud he replaces her shoe, she could not take her eyes off him. The construction foreman Memar played by Mohammad Amir Naji is a brilliant actor, full of character and charisma. Zahra Bahrami who plays Baran-Rahmat never says a word but her facial expressions and pain in doing manual labor is brilliant. In a way she reminds me of the silent characters in the Korean off-beat film, 3-Iron or Bin-jip. Hossein Abedini, who plays Lateef is not a great actor although he has good moments. But aside from him, the movie was quite masterful. Most reviews discuss the touching story and today's cultural taboos in central Asia or the artful direction of Majidi. But I would like to add that the film's most beautiful moments are the directors and cinematographer's collaboration of capturing absolutely stunning moments much like you'd expect from the best of National Geogaphic's or Life's (old magazine) best photographers. The simply-hung curtains in the doorways swaying in the wind was a brlliant cliché of passing time. Lateef's hat (with Baran's hairpin) which he placed by the fish pond was stunning. The timing of both scenes in its lengthy pause, so simple, was brilliant. Near the end, the criss-crossing of the hands in picking up fruits is a symbol of the affection he feels for her. Following that was the simply brilliant slow motion of Baran flipping her aquagreen burka headdress back into place, signifying her unavailability. It seemed so cruel but culturally inevitable. The poverty of the characters and richness of the film contradict but capture the essence of humanity at its deepest. I love this film and I rate a 9.5 (not a 10 which appears here) of 10 only because Hossein Abedini could have been a stronger lead.
Review of Baran
