Cast: Mozhan Marno, Shohreh Aghdashloo, James Caviezel
Living in modern, liberated societies it's incredulous to learn about the plight of women elsewhere. This movie's a must-watch as a reminder to all of us about how our ancestors must've fought for our own rights and of how there's so much more to do. Based on a true story written by Freidoune Sahebjam, the story is set in a village in Iran. Soraya (Mozhan Marno), a mother of two little girls and two older boys, is married to a man whose avarice seeks the hand of a 14-year old girl in marriage while ousting his wife and daughters. He's intent on divorcing Soraya without paying for her upkeep nor that of his two daughters. He manipulates his sons into supporting his dreams of moving to the city with him, of leading a better life, and the boys turn against their own mother. The husband starts to plot with the town's mullah whose unsavory prison past is a secret weapon weilded by the husband. When a local mechanic's wife passes away, they convince Soraya to work in the mechanic's house tending to chores such as cooking in return for which she gets paid wages that can eventually win her financial freedom and enable the divorce her husband wants. Little does she suspect that her husband is plotting to level allegations of adultery against her. Soon rumors float with the village elders unanimously indicting Soraya to be an adultress and as such by Sharia law must be stoned to death.
The day after she is stoned to death horrendously, her aunt (Shohreh Aghdashloo) happens upon a stranded journalist (James Cavieziel) to whom she narrates the events. He ultimately escapes and recounts of the atrocities committed against Soraya to the world. This harrowing tale had me sobbing inconsolably for half the film. It touches on a raw nerve and unabashedly shows how some societies suppress, degrade, and rob women of a life let alone happiness.
Rating: Three out of 5 stars.
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Perhaps I am a sap for an emotionally-captivating tale of true life, but I have to give this movie 5 stars. Perhaps as low as 4.5 as some of the cinematography dropped short on intended effect, such as the pull-away of the hole dug for the stoning, just prior to the stoning event...and minimally-intrusive acting shortcomings...if one were to argue that this be weighted in the rating. But mechanics are not all the parts of a thing, and sometimes normal systems must yield to something of a less distinguishable power.
ReplyDeleteHappenings like this make my blood boil over barbarism and hypocracy of religions, which have no place of good in this mordern world. Not that I subsribe to them having been a source of good at any time, at least not the religions that have survived and thrived on the murdering of millions upon millions for the quenching of other gods, which simultaneously "do not exist" and "shall have no other...before 'me'". I feel like climbing to the mountain top and screaming a guteral yell!!!
The fact that people of brave and good heart have stood up and presented such a tale, while others are being brutally murdered for exercising free speech against the atrocities of the same religion, give significant weight to my rating, which is based largely on whether I would watch it again, and if my heart stirred.
From this, my heart stirred so much as to impart sufficient energy to make my blood boil!
Brava to Soraya and her Aunt!
..and bravo to the deliverers of the story!
It will live in my memory among the few taken from the very many. So I cannnot in good conscience view this any less than any other.