Rating: A +





Most screenplay tutors emphasize on raising the stakes in your story to make it better. Agents look for something unusual, beyond ordinary life. Studios crave much higher risks. It's never less than saving the whole world from an impending catastrophe. What lacks in most of these is the relativity. True characters who are instantly identifiable and real. Once we achieve that then whatever happens to them no matter how small, people will feel for them. Whether it's losing their keys or a pinprick.





Premise:

A separation is a prime example for that matter and should be a go-to resource for any writer who wants some guidance or improvement of their writing skills. It's a master class in screewriting. There are many issues at hand in this film. Sharia Laws, Status of women, lies, our ability to justify our lies and many other moral and social issues. But at its heart, it's about A Separation and its effects on the child torn apart with the dilemma of choosing a single parent. It's a story of Simin (Leila Hatami) who is filing for divorce from Nader (Peyman Moadi) to go abroad for the better future of her daughter. Nader denies to divorce her because he wants to stay with his father who suffers from Alzheimers. Court rejects Simin's case and she moves out to her mother's house. Meanwhile Nader hires a caretaker Razieh (Sareh Bayat) for his father. Razieh has problems of her own. One day an argue between Razieh and Nader leads him to throw her out. It turns out Razieh is pregnant which puts Nader in hot waters. Complications ensue and truth slowly reveals itself while audience wonders who to trust in this complicated web of lies and confusion.

Review:

Shown beautifully in his last film "About Elly", Asghar Farhadi has further mastered the technique of depicting how the characters dug the rabbit hole of constructed lies, sometimes rather unintentionally. The whole incident in the film unfolds right before our eyes but still we struggle to reach the truth instantly. Is it our inherent nature of favouring the ones we like? So we filter out any conflicting reality which doesn't match our preconceived judgements. Or is it just because no one is completely good or bad and the context and intentions are key players in such situations? These notions are played out masterfully in this film. We see Nader pushing Razieh out of his door. But he claims he didn't know she was pregnant. He says he didn't throw her on the stairs but merely pushed her. Razieh claims the opposite. Another such question is what do we do when our moral values conflict with our religious beliefs? Do we mould our religion to what we truly want or do we refrain from any act which we know is right but our religion might contradict? Razieh goes through the same dilemma. She is a very religious person who wants to help Nader's father. But she is afraid she might commit a sin. There are many more such questions in this film and the answers are not simple.



However, one thing profoundly simple to understand is how difficult it is for a kid to choose between his parents when they split. Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) is the daughter who is forced to choose. Throughout the film she is seen trying to get her mother back in the house. She decides not to go with her when her mother leaves the house. She hopes her mother will come back for her. Nader presumes his daughter loves him more and that is why she won't leave with her mother. He might be true, but he fails to understand the value of her mother for her. The reason why this film asks so many questions and evoke so many emotions is because of a brave screenplay and a visionary direction. Asghar Farhadi is the writer and director and therefore all praise goes to him. The material is so heavy and sensitive yet Asghar never places a foot wrong. Static long shots add to the realism and we feel like being one of the silent spectator of the whole situation. The actors, each one of them, have done such a tremendous job that it's the best acted ensemble cast in years. Sarina Farhadi who plays Termeh is the stand out just because of her sheer talent as a debut for giving such layered and controlled performance. Sareh Bayat is another standout, with her portrayal of vulnerable Razieh who despite of many mistakes never looses our sympathy. The last scene in particular will stick in your mind for sometime after watching the film.













There is no flaw whatsoever. There might be some minuses for some people but I failed to see any. I never imagined Oscar would honour this film when I first watched it. Although I will always hold my grudge against Oscars for not awarding 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. But still they have redeemed themselves a little by acknowledging this film. A separation would have remained a masterpiece even without the Oscar but now at least it has reached to the broader audience with an award, who would have missed this gem otherwise.





Conclusion:

Watch this film not just to see how a timeless film is made. But also to see a glimpse of society never seen properly in mainstream media. This film gives an alternative and true peek into the Iranian lifestyle which at it's core is not much different than any other. The same universal language of human emotions is spoken there just as here.