The first time I heard of A Separation was on the list of films for the New York Film Festival this year. The description of a domestic drama that turns into a court room thriller piqued my interest. I had it on my list of films to see. Unfortunately in both the public screenings and press screenings I couldn't find a slot to see it.
My desire to see the film increased when very positive talk at other press screenings was matched by orgasmic talk outside the public screenings. Talk about the film outside the second screening was so intense and so involving that not only was the lobby of Alice Tully Hall full of groups of people talking to each other about the film, but they were sucking in those of us going into the next screening. Rarely have I ever seen so many people taking about a film so animatedly - and so positively. Honestly, this was the best received film of the year as far as I was concerned.
The film opened elsewhere in the world earlier in the year and it's just opened in the US, where it's the front runner for a Best Foreign Language Oscar, and where it may get more nominations.
I am happy to report that A Separation is a film that is rightly being touted highly across the board. This is one of the few times where I'm on board with the uber-love for a film.
The plot of the film has a husband and wife asking for a divorce. She wants to take their daughter and leave the country, while he doesn't want to leave his father who is suffering with Alzheimer's. The divorce isn't granted but they separate. In order to help with the father the husband hires a woman to come in and watch the father while he works. Complications arise and soon the film becomes a court room thriller with hints of murder.
I really liked this film a great deal. Its a gripping domestic drama that, naturally drifts into court room thriller. Nothing that happens feel wrong or contrived. Every twist, every turn feels right, feels plausible. It feels like it could happen.
Beautifully acted, it would be an injustice if the Oscars didn't nominate someone from the cast for an acting award. These aren't characters, they are people.
Go see this movie. This really is one of the times when you should believe the hype and see the film.
(FYI: The title on the film itself is Nader and Simin A Separation which is why I picked the image I did)
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