ABOUT ELLY is an interesting and highly watchable Iranian film that's been marketed as a mystery type thriller, although in fact it's a piece of relevant and timely social commentary. The storyline is about a group of young people - friends, family, and offspring - who gather together for a weekend of fun at a beach house. However, disaster strikes when a child is washed into the sea and one of the women goes missing. The first thing that strikes the viewer is that ABOUT ELLY is a very well made film. The cinematography is excellent with lots of beautiful shots both of scenery and actors. The acting is of a realistic standard and despite the drama of the storyline there's never any melodrama or over the top emoting going on.
Writer/director Asghar Farhadi uses the film's narrative to explore questions of what it means to be young and carefree in modern-day Iran. In particular, gender relationships are explored in detail, particularly when it comes to permissiveness and the like, and to what extent a young woman has freedom in society to do as she wishes. It's all highly interesting, giving western audiences a chance to find out something about what a little-known country is really like for the people living there.
Writer/director Asghar Farhadi uses the film's narrative to explore questions of what it means to be young and carefree in modern-day Iran. In particular, gender relationships are explored in detail, particularly when it comes to permissiveness and the like, and to what extent a young woman has freedom in society to do as she wishes. It's all highly interesting, giving western audiences a chance to find out something about what a little-known country is really like for the people living there.