William L
The film that brought Iranian director Jafar Panahi to international prominence, The White Balloon uses stylistic cues very similar to those seen in the work of Abbas Kiarostami, with whom Panahi had long served as an assistant director and who is credited with creating the screenplay. The plot itself tends to be very light, intended to explore broadly applicable, very international experiences based upon candid personal interactions - in this case, a young girl that must protect the money her mother has given her to buy a fish, only to contend with very casual threats to her pocketbook, such as a pair of street entertainers, opportunistic peddlers, and her own innocence and naivete. It's got all the hallmarks of a great Kiarostami work, particularly the celebration of the human spirit, but with one critical flaw that you just can't shake - the girl's mother handed her seven year-old daughter a large note with the expectation that she would bring back the change, when she hasn't shown herself to be the least bit world-wise. It's such a puzzling decision that it honestly sours the film a bit for me, taking away some of that sweet relatability and realism.
Apart from that, though, The White Balloon is a very solid, understated film. Interactions seem to take place very organically, typically by chance, in a representation of how life actually unfolds, rather than is written in a conventional screenplay. Panahi does an excellent job of imparting significance and empathy to a low-risk, everyday plot, and while the film is not up to the caliber of Kiarostami's greatest works, it does have the same spirit. (3.5/5)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/20/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Simple movie about small things in life. What I liked though is that it ends on the unconventional end. Image of an afghan boy who has become prominent character in the film at the very end.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Jafar Panahi's first film (after serving as Assistant Director to Abbas Kiarostami, who is credited with this film's script) is another one of the now long list of Iranian masterworks (from Panahi, Kiarostami, Farhadi, Makhmalbaf and others) -- a real New Wave, if it hadn't been going on for decades now. These films manage to interact directly with viewers' subjectivity (our consciousness) even while seemingly portraying almost trivial events. Knowing (or controlling) exactly what the audience is thinking allows the director to playfully tease us, to create suspense, to give pleasure by following or contravening the normal rules of a narrative. Hitchcock also had this skill. I'm not entirely sure how the effect is created - careful use of editing, but also sound design, subjective point-of-view shots, and scripts that narrow our scope to one or two characters carrying out actions, step by step with clear expectations or goals. I don't think there is anything specific about Iranian culture that leads to such a technique (I could be wrong), but for Westerners there is another layer to be enjoyed when one sees that culture in all of its day-to-day mundanity. Here, Panahi has us follow a 7-year-old girl in Tehran on New Year's Eve who wishes to buy a goldfish (part of the celebration). When she is given a 500 tomans note by her mother, more money than is needed, we feel nervous as she rushes off with the note shoved into the goldfish bowl. Will it get lost? Yes, it does (but not until after some fun is had by the director showing two snake-charmers pilfer the money and tease the girl before returning it). Most of the film is spent watching the girl try to get the money back after she subsequently loses it down a drain. Since we don't know what will or can happen, we are completely absorbed by the task and the people who get involved, trying to help. The title of the film itself, doesn't make any sense until the final minutes (out of only 85) - and even then, it feels more like a wink from Panahi than a meaningful symbol. In the end, the film seems like nothing more than a light comedy about kids and their way of seeing the world - but through some mysterious alchemy, it turns out to be more.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This showed up on top 100 movies that uour kid shoukd see, my 10 year and I just watched it, have to say it was surprisingly disappointed to cone close to that list.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/16/23
Full Review
Alexander W
Probably one of the best endings of any film ever.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/06/16
Full Review
Audience Member
Simplicity gives rise to eternal beauty....
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
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