Baran Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)February 19th, 2002
BARAN
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
BARAN is a high-minded snoozer from Iranian director Majid Majidi (THE COLOR OF PARADISE). Although its subject matter, concerning Afghan workers in Iran, might appear to be topical, the reality is that the story could just as easily have been about "undocumented workers" in any country. Since everyone in the story leads such a hardscrabble life, one almost feels guilty for not liking the movie. But feeling sorry for people in such circumstances is not the same thing as liking a movie made about them.
BARAN takes place mainly on a construction site in Iran where large numbers of Afghan workers are employed illegally. Latif (Hossein Abedin), one of the young Iranian workers there, resents the Afghans, especially one young, new guy named Rahmat (Zahra Bahrami), the son of an Afghan worker who was recently injured on the job.
In most of BARAN, little of interest happens. When something does, it is either completely predictable or is quite unbelievable. Let me give just a few examples without giving much away. As soon as we see a woman beside a roaring river, we know that she will dramatically fall in it. Latif goes from constantly harassing Rahmat to instant friendship in a matter of seconds. Finally, the story's big "surprise" is a "Well, duh!" event that is easy to guess from the very beginning.
For Iranian minimalist cinema aficionados, who like it best when the least occurs, BARAN may be considered a small gem. But BARAN reminds me of the play in which an artist tries to sell an all-white canvas as true art. There are those who will delight in the film's tiny subtleties, as there are those who will stare at a blank canvas and find tremendous meaning. I am not one of them.
BARAN runs a long 1:34. The film is in Farsi and Dari with English subtitles. It is rated PG for "language and brief violence" and would be acceptable for anyone old enough to read subtitles.
The film is playing in limited release now in the United States. It was shown recently at the Camera Cinema Club (http://www.cameracinemas.com/club) of Los Gatos and San Jose.
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