Leila's Brothers

Where to begin... I am literally lost on how to begin describing the many groundbreaking attributes of the movie. What made me tear up over every critical scene was that nothing extraordinary happened. The movie somehow managed to include both the pace of a Hollywood movie and the realistic non-heroic (even anti-heroic) traits of European cinema.

The way the flawed heroin revolved into being an anti-heroin, a victim, a passive, an evil, and the way she crawled back into being "only human" but a blatantly frank and active rebel haunts every inch of my being.

The wholistic symbolism portraying the society it stemmed from could not execute the concepts in a better way and dialogues could not be more purposefully composed to include typical cultural moments of miscommunication, introspective vulnerability, misunderstanding, raging through.

The only thing I would change about the movie is the acting. Each character is acting their role from a previous movie which indicates that the focus was more on the plot that the directing. At points one would sense that the characters have not acquired sympathy with the role they are playing (well except for Mr. Poursamimi, he could not have done better)

In Saeed Roustaee's engaging Iranian film "Leila's Brothers" (2022), viewers are pulled into a gripping story that tackles the challenges of family conflict and financial struggles. Set in modern-day Tehran, the film follows Leila, played by the talented Taraneh Alidoosti, as she works hard to carve out a stable career for herself while dealing with her four quarrelsome but loving brothers.

Roustaee's storytelling is top-notch, diving deep into each character's complexities, which keeps the audience hooked. The tension escalates when their self-absorbed father fixates on becoming the head of the extended family, a position that comes with a hefty cash prize that could jeopardize his children's business dreams.

The film's wide-ranging narrative is complemented by its skillfully woven emotional highs and lows, leading to some truly touching and sometimes heartbreaking scenes. "Leila's Brothers" stands out as a powerful anti-patriarchal tale, earning the FIPRESCI Critics' Prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. However, despite its critical acclaim, the film is still banned from being shown in Iran, highlighting its provocative and challenging subject matter.

It's fair to say that life could have been better, that in the scheme of things you feel like you're a debtor, always helping others out, without a curse, bad word or shout, now it's time to make a stand, be the pacesetter. An opportunity to build a brighter future, for your brothers who perpetually are moochers, just need to find the capital, 40 gold coins would fit the bill, but you'll have to play the role of party pooper.

This is a fantastic piece of storytelling, that keeps you entranced for the entirety, as Leila does what needs to be done to drag her impoverished family out of their mire by acquiring a small retail outlet to start a family business. As you'd expect, things don't quite go to plan, especially as her aging father has his heart set on becoming the patriarchal leader of his wider family, a family that seeks to take advantage of his aspirations for their own financial gain.

As someone who closely follows the roller coaster of events in Iran, I could relate to it very well. The story line is simple but the character development and layers of complexity introduced as you keep watching make it really exciting and deep. One of the best movies I've ever watched from a director who was under 30 when he made this. The movie is so realistic without any exaggeration. Our society suffers from such miserable culture. The movie is such a brilliant illustration of what we are deeply struggle whit. I think we need this revolution by the name of woman, life, freedom to overcome all negative aspects of old believes, thoughts and pains.

The father of this family in movie is somehow symbolicly like the person who is running country of Iran who is not thinking about his children's job and future of his people and only thinking about other people not his people.

The movie was a captivating portrayal of the struggles faced by the people of Iran. From the opening scene to the final moments, it kept me on the edge of my seat. Navid's performance was impressive, but it did seem like he was acting for a movie. However, Tarane's performance was truly outstanding. Her portrayal of a woman struggling to make ends meet and facing the harsh realities of life was remarkable.

What made Tarane's performance stand out was how she seamlessly transitioned from happiness to sadness. It was as if she was living the character's life, and her emotions were raw and genuine. It was truly amazing to watch her bring the character to life, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the movie.

Beyond the exceptional performances, the movie effectively showcased the social problems faced by people in Iran. You could feel the impact of poverty on the people and the struggles they faced. It was an eye-opening experience to witness their hardships, and it made me reflect on the privileges I have.

In conclusion, the movie was an amazing experience that left a lasting impression on me. The exceptional performances and portrayal of social problems in Iran were both impressive and thought-provoking. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and captivating movie.