User Reviews

Another thought-provoking, unique, deep, understandable, warm, loving and touching tale comes from Iran, by the hand of Majid Majidi, the one who brought "The Children of Heaven" to our eyes. As impeccable and human as that one, comes "Baran". What an amazing film. You don't see these type of characters every day. They barely speak in most of the occasions, but they show emotions.

The whole piece beautifully and well done, that it really touches deep. These situations and these people make the film so watchable. Lateef is a normal person, he spends his everyday life as anyone else, working, earning the money for his life (although he hasn't received that money yet, but he will). Soltan works there, also, although he shouldn't, as many other workers. Soltan brings a boy one day, and after some events, this boy steals (it's a way to put it) Lateef's job. He's angry, we get it. But he sees, some time after, a girl behind a curtain (in a beautiful scene, with a patient camera watching carefully both angles). A girl he used to know as a boy, and he is shocked. He has fallen in love.

After this, nothing matters, only this girl (Baran, we hear from her father; and if you don't listen carefully, you'll miss it, because it's the only time the word is said). Then we join Lateef in his journey, for love. He's desperate. He sees Baran suffering, and ends lying to his boss, to get some money for her. To help her.

One of the most incredible things in the story, is the development of this boy's personality. He wants to help, but at the same time, doesn't want the people he's helping to know it. He wastes his time in the invention of stupid excuses, just to hide himself. Hiding himself from who? From this girl, the reason of his changes and efforts? Why? He wants to be with her.

The last scenes come as magical and "one of a kind" as the ones in "The Children of Heaven". Lateef sits and contemplates a curtain, similar to the image seen the fist time he discovers Baran. Now he is making decisions, but only in his mind, because it is late already. The next morning, Baran is leaving, I guess it's not important where. He helps her to pick some things she has dropped. She sees him, and completely knows the things he has been doing for her. Then she just smiles, and gets in the truck. She leaves, he watches.

Maybe he'll regret it.

A young man, Lateef, may be 18 years old falls in love with a fellow construction site worker Baran. Circumstances are victimizing, conditions are odd. There's no way Lateef can win her hand but its a complete triumph of love.

What a brilliant film. I am not into love stories but this film is definitely a love story par excellence. Plot is so brilliant and is executed with such finesse. The passion in the heart of the protagonist is just unbelievable and is a treat to watch. Majidi is such a fantastic director. All the obstacles and difficulties Lateef faces are social and political problems. Story looks like a love story but Majidi actually talks about women problems, refugees, illegal workers, immigration problems and of course conflict of right and wrong defined in a society. There are so many things Lateef does for Baran which I ended up thinking 'not possible' but the real question is 'isnt love selfless?'. 'Baran' is a film which haunts a thinking brain. A film which doesn't answer questions but ask questions. The construction site where Lateef works is in Northern Tehran. Mehar employs Afghanis to work with Turks and Iranians (thanks Howard Schumann ). There are actually so many things going on in this film.

Hossein Abedini as Lateef is fantastic. He is Lateef and nobody else can be Lateef. Zahra Bahrami doesn't have dialogs but she is very good. Mohammad Amir Naji is a fantastic actor. If he is on the screen then you just look at him and rest is 'backdrop'. One of the few complete actors in my dictionary of actors. My favorite scene is when Lateef comes to know about the fact that Baran is a girl and so hear wears some trendy clothes and come to brick laying. Memar looks at him and say "why are you dressed like a pop star?". I laughed so much. I use this phrase very often. Two thumbs up. I think the whole Indian film industry with 200 films on love is a dwarf in front of this divine story about love and selflessness. A must watch. 10/10.

Majid Majidi has made some amazing films, though sadly few in the West have probably seen them since he hails from a land not especially known for its film industry, Iran. In fact, finding DVDs of his and other Iranian films is pretty difficult. I don't think this is especially because of political tensions between Iran and the US, but more of a general ignorance in my country that there even IS a foreign film industry aside from perhaps the French and Japanese. It's a shame really, as the three Majidi films I've seen (CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, THE COLOR OF PARADISE and this film) are among the most visually stunning and beautifully made films I have seen. His films are almost like visual poetry and they concern ordinary people--not the famous or especially beautiful--and this is what endears his films to many people. While I was not blown away by the film like I was by THE COLOR OF PARADISE (which, I would place in the top 10 best international films I have ever seen), the look and delicate directorial touch make this a wonderful film to see.

The film is set mostly on an Iranian construction site. Many of the workers are Afghans who have left their country due to the war. However, they don't have identity papers and can't legally work in Iran, so the foreman employs them "under the table" so to speak. But this isn't necessarily out of charity--it's just that he can pay them a fraction of an Iranian worker (much like many of the illegals in the US from Mexico). In fact, this foreman is an odd man--at times, he seems very stingy and cruel but at others you are surprised by his compassion. This didn't come as a surprise to me, as in other Majidi films I have noticed that the characters are often complex and hard to predict. The certainly are NOT formulaic or dull, but rich in goodness as well as character defects. In fact, the entire film later rests on this duality--but more of that in a bit.

One day, one of the Afghan workers is badly injured on the job. And, since they work illegally, the man cannot work and his family will starve. However, a ruse is created in order to have his daughter employed by the construction site. She dresses as a man and is a "lumper"--a term used to describe an unskilled construction worker who does the work no one else wants to do. But, since she is a woman, lifting and doing this hard work is beyond her means. But, when the foreman feels sorry for her and switches her to an easier job, the man who had this easier job as a gofer is mad--so mad he decides to make life tough for this new "man" on the job! Oddly, however, after being so cruel and thoughtless, later the angry worker discovers that she is a female!! Now you'd think he'd tell the boss and get her fired...right?! But instead, compassion and goodness comes from within and he has a strong urge to help her in her plight. But, when soon after this ALL the Afghan workers are fired, what is this man to do? How can he help her when she and her family have seemingly disappeared?

Overall, it's a very complex character study of a man who behaves inexplicably once he learns the woman's secret. Now I am NOT saying he reacts in a way that is impossible to believe...but it's just hard to imagine until you see that the man has hidden goodness and strength within him. Oddly, however, I just couldn't predict where this film would go and when the movie ended, I found myself a bit confused--not in a bad way, but I just wouldn't have imagined ending the film this way. It's a wonderful film--nearly earning a 9, but I am hesitant to give such high ratings. Plus, the other two films I mentioned that Majidi also made are clearly better films--mostly because they tug at your heart even more and feature some amazing performances by kids (something that is NOT easy to create). Well worth seeing.

By the way, this film was entered by Iran for the Oscars but was not nominated. This lack of a nomination is a bit of a surprise--perhaps it was just a very strong year in that category.