Honestly, I didn’t even realize this was the same director as A Separation until I started looking more into the film after finishing it. Is there another director that has a better pulse on the gray area that runs between the right and wrong in every decision we make as humans?! I’ve only seen these two, but you better believe I’ll be finding some more Farhadi to watch soon!
This is incredible examination of the nuance in morality. As we follow Rahim through his story, Farhadi has us constantly wavering between pitying him, wanting him to get a win for once, loving him, and hoping he gets what he deserves. But by the end, you simply see him as a human.
As humans we make choices. Sometimes they are selfish; sometimes they are selfless. Sometimes they get us in big trouble; sometimes we get away with things. Sometimes there is truth in the lies we tell, and sometimes there is falsity in the truths.
Really what Farhadi makes room for us to extend grace. Grace for each other despite our not knowing the full truth or intentions of others; despite our past experiences with someone; despite their deceptions or letting us down. We all have to live with the choices we make. The least we can do is to extend grace to others for their decisions just as we would want for ours. Extending grace looks different in every situation as we navigate the complexities of human relationships. But the common denominator is always treating each other like humans, like persons with dignity. If that is absent, then humanity isn’t degraded.
That’s what I learned from this story of Rahim, and I know there is still much more depth to it than that. Farhadi really knows how to capture the complexity of humanity. That’s not an easy thing to do. We need more films like this.
