Pir Pesar

In a powerful social commentary movie about an abusive father and his two sons and a woman with economic problems, that is sometimes hard to watch, there are some great acting. Hassan Pourshirazi's performance as the abusive and morally repugnant father is nothing short of amazing. I am hoping that as Academy Awards are getting more international his acting gets a notice from Oscars. It is almost unheard of for an Iranian movie that lasts 3 hours but it worths every minute of it. Great direction and acting by the 4 main characters.

The film was shocking and at the same time fascinating, a 3-hour film that no one left the theater during the screening! The story progressed well for the first hour, and when it reached the second hour, it became a little boring. I think this film could have been much more interesting at 2 and a half hours. The last 30 minutes of the film are when the story reaches its darkest point, and several horrible secrets are revealed and those shocking events occur that are like a bucket of ice water being poured on the viewer. Despite being still in shock, the viewer looks at the last frame, which is full of longing, tragedy, and blood, and that music and the dirty, messy house, which now has negative energy lurking in every corner, and the film ends.

The movie "The Old Bachelor" can be an interesting experience for any viewer in Iranian cinema. From the very first scenes of the film, the viewer realizes the difference between this film and other Iranian films. The special framing and color attract more attention. The introduction and foundation of Gholam's character is done well and we as viewers get to know him well. The character of Rana, who plays a central role in the second half of the film, also has a good foundation, but this introduction and completion of the character introduction could have helped the film to be better if it had been formed earlier. But the worst characterization and perhaps acting of this film was Ali, the son of Gholam, played by Hamed Behdad. Ali's character is a ready-made character type. You can see characters like this outside the film in many series and films, but in this film you should not see exactly or even worse than other cases. Ali, regardless of his personality, is the son of Gholam. Being the son of Gholam should make Ali different. Hamed Behdad's acting was also insensitive. But this does not mean that this character does not do his job well in the film. The film uses the character it created and does not falter. The cinematography is one of the strengths of the work, which imprints lasting scenes in the viewer's mind. Although the script is very well-written and logical, there are several minor flaws that prevent it from being completed. For example, where does the father get so much money? Ali and Reza's exit at the end of the film and creating a situation for Gholam was completely to advance the story and there was no strong logic behind it. And the most important point is that more work should have been done on completing the characters (especially Ali's character).

The ending is also shocking and perhaps impressive at first, but in the end it was rushed and ineffective. After an hour, the ending is not at all the part of the film that you want to talk about. It even lacked logic in some ways! The final conflict, which could have been the peak of the story and narrative, became the only point to end the film and only ended the story. Although despite all this, the mise-en-scène of the last minutes of the film was unique in Iranian cinema.

In the end, we saw a film that was several levels better than other Iranian films in recent years, and all the negative points I mentioned above do not prevent you from enjoying this film and making it one of the best Iranian films you have ever seen. In my opinion, if the above points were corrected, they would have made this film more memorable.

When I watched the movie, felt the same as the time when I was reading Brothers Karamazov. They show how family becomes a microcosm of society's larger moral and existential struggles. At heart, both The Old Bachelor and The Brothers Karamazov are about:The inheritance of sin and guilt across generations. Men trapped between obedience, rebellion, and longing for redemption. The dangers of unchecked power, whether paternal, social, or internal.

Oktay Baraheniseems to have intentionally borrowed not just themes but also stylistic techniques from Dostoevsky, particularly The Brothers Karamazov, the house in the movie send you back to the Fyodor's house.

The Old Bachelor is one of those rare films that dares to be honest. It doesn't shout or preach-it simply presents. The relationship that slowly forms between the characters played by Leila Hatami and Hamed Behdad may feel natural, even ordinary, in real life, but within the narrow confines of Iranian cinema, it feels fresh, bold, and quietly subversive.

Leila Hatami delivers a subtle, layered performance-once again showing how a female character can be portrayed with depth and nuance, without melodrama or overstatement. She plays a tired, complex, emotionally wounded woman whose silences carry meaning and weight.

Opposite her, Hamed Behdad brings a restless energy to the screen. His character, impulsive and raw, becomes the perfect counterbalance to Hatami's restraint. What emerges between them is not a typical love story, but a human connection that grows out of shared loneliness and mutual understanding-a kind of emotional recognition more than romance.

Meanwhile, Hassan Pourshirazi grounds the film with a deeply lived-in performance. He doesn't so much play the role as inhabit it. His quiet presence and expressive stillness lend the story an earthy authenticity.

The Old Bachelor tells a story that, in the real world, might pass unnoticed. But in Iranian cinema-often limited by censorship and symbolic overcomplication-this kind of direct, emotionally honest narrative feels both unusual and necessary. That contrast is what makes the film so compelling.