The Color of Paradise Review

by Michael Dequina (twotrey AT juno DOT com)
April 9th, 2000
_The_Color_of_Paradise_ (PG) *** (out of ****)

Like his crowdpleasing _Children_of_Heaven_, the latest from Iranian writer-director Majid Majidi is also a tribute to the spirit and innocence of a child. Here, the subject is a smart blind boy named Mohammed (Mohsen Ramezani, superb), who is unwanted by his heartless father, Hashem (Hossein Mahjub). Hashemsees his son not as a person, but as an impediment on his forthcoming marriage and a burden on his life in general.

Majidi takes his time to reach the inevitable crisis where Hashem is confronted by his duties not only as a parent but a human being, but the time getting there is fairly well-spent. While he drives home the point of Mohammed's good nature a bit too hard (I could've done without the scene where he takes a fallen baby bird and puts it back in its nest), the sight of the Northern Iran countryside is stunning; thanks to Mohammad Davoodi's breathtaking photography, it's easy to see the colors of paradise. All this is just a prelude to the grabber of a final shot, a simple image that is haunting in its ambiguity. Similarly, the entire film is memorable in its sweet simplicity.

Michael Dequina
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