Movie No. 19 (2017): THE SALESMAN

The Salesman (aka Forushande)
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Cast: Taraneh Alidoosti, Shahab Hosseini
In Farsi, with English subtitles

I wanted this movie to win Best Foreign Language Film in the 79th Academy Awards. However, I didn't expect it to win because Toni Erdmann was immensely popular. An upset would be remote. But, it did win. That's unexpected; a pleasant surprise.

This is the story of a couple in Tehran that are forced to find another apartment when the building where they currently live is on the verge of collapsing because of the vibrations coming from the construction in the neighboring lot. The couple are part of the company that currently stages Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman." The marriage of the couple starts to turn sour during the staging of the play and at the time when they're on a temporary apartment. There's an assault. There's a scheme for revenge. 

The movie succeeds in going into the details of a marriage that's falling apart. Asghar Farhadi is a master of this kind of narrative - about the middle class caught in unexpected circumstances. The strength of the movie is in the screenplay, editing, and performances. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: February 27, 2017