Beautiful City

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Gaylord R anyone with even a tangential interest in Iran and Islam will have his eyes opened by this true to life drama to catch a glimpse of human tragedy, love, hope, failure - an amazing film by a genial director with actors of a quality rarely seen in ordinary Hollywood fare. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review david l The Beautiful City is a solid early effort from Asghar Farhadi that features fantastic dialogue that is a staple of all Farhadi films. The performance form Taraneh Alidoosti is also terrific. The movie's melancholic tone is interesting as well. My issue here is that I could not relate to its characters and the issue at hand as it deals with helping out a murderer. The messaging was problematic to me, but getting a glimpse into the Iranian judicial system was interesting nonetheless. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Yet another remarkable Farhadi film, Beautiful City (Shahre-e Ziba) involves great loss, murder, relentless drive and hope, desperation, and extreme unspoken sacrifice. But at its heart is the idea of how do you find it in yourself to reach forgiveness for the person (Akbar) who took the life of loved one. Iran's Islamic judicial system with its notions of justice and blood money inextricably linked, creates impossible choices for the stubbornly determined characters of "Beautiful City." A crusade to win a reprieve for a young man about to be executed runs up against an adamant insistence on vengeance. But then an improbable love story develops between a now 18 year old convicted killer's sister and best friend, handled so deftly by Asghar Farhadi. Fascinating glimpse into wholly different body of laws, an engrossingly evolving script and standout performances drive this great film. Taraneh Alidoosti is excellent as struggling a single mother who has the keep up a lie that she's still married to her addict ex-husband due to social norms in Iran. She and A'la will not quit in their insistence on gaining clemency for Akbar. The way Farhadi and his cast bring to life this small community, its customs and its infuriating 'justice system' which is intrinsically wrapped up in devout religious beliefs, brings such authenticity for the audience to more fully appreciate the struggles of its people. But the other key to their collective efforts is the slowly birthed love between Firouzeh and A'la. Much credit to the young actors for such depth. 3.8 stars Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review flixster f The title could have been better!! But the movie is outstanding. Excellent plot (reading it beforehand may be a spoiler), well paced and well told. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member interesting perspective and debate on the nature of love and forgiveness. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member What is it about Iranians that help them make such awesome films. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Beautiful City

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