Pir Pesar

After "OLD BOY" movie , THE OLD BACHELOR is the second best movie in Asia !!!

This movie is based on the famous book "Shahnameh" by Ferdowsi and I can confidently say that it is one of the most breathtaking movies of 2025 that you can watch.

In my opinion this movie should definitely be in the Oscars and I think like in 2019 when "Parasite" won all the awards, this can happen again for this movie.

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 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.

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," directed by Oktay Barahani, was for me more than just a typical drama. With Hassan Pourshirazi's outstanding performance as Gholam Bastani, the film skillfully portrays the archetype of the "Puer Aeternus" or "Eternal Youth." This character, despite his age, remains emotionally stunted, refusing to embrace the responsibilities of adulthood.

This interpretation is reinforced by Gholam's own pivotal dialogue: "A man whose life has no rules or order, even if he grows old, will remain an old boy and never truly grow up!" Furthermore, one can observe echoes of "Dionysus," the god of ecstasy and liberation, within Gholam Bastani, which perfectly complements the "Eternal Youth" aspect of his character. This is a profound and thought-provoking film that delves into the psychological layers of humanity.