The Song of Sparrows

From big to small, from loss to gain. We can make this Iranian Epic one into that phrase. The film begins with the close-up shot of an Ostrich and ends with the symbolic representation of a Sparrow (the title also refers to sparrow) similarly Karim (the protagonist) loses his job at the beginning of the movie and the end he regains it. This was the journey in between those losses and gain, where Karim uses that time in search of his real identity. The film is so much close because of the realistic representation of the characters, setting, and subject matter. It also discusses both the Iranian outskirts as well as the kinetics revolving around the city. Karim is always looking forward to both the city and the village. And he realizes his soul at the end as he put a little smile on his face when he saw the Ostriches on the truck.

Majid Majidi has gone and done it again. He has crafted a simple story of a loving family man (although not without some minor flaws)who has several humbling experiences in life. Karim (played very well by Majidi regular,Mohammad Amir Naji,here known as Reza Naji)has a cushy job working at an ostrich farm,keeping watch over the king sized birds. Trouble erupts when one of the birds escapes from the pen,resulting in Karim losing his job. Good fortune happens to drop in Karim's lap when he ends up becoming a taxi driver in downtown Tehran. Other plot elements are dropped into the mix in the form of his eldest daughter,Haniyeh (Shabnam Aklaghi)who is partially deaf,loses her hearing aid,because of her younger brother,Hussein (Hamed Aghazi),who wants to start a goldfish hatchery in an unused well,who loses the hearing aid in the well/muck hole that it is. Toss in an understanding & loving wife,caring neighbors,and others,and you have yourself a loving film that is a treat for the eye & other senses. Majid Majidi directs from a screenplay written by Majidi & Mehran Kashani. The cinematography by Tooraj Mansouri successfully manages to capture the rugged Iranian landscape,with momentary bursts of colour (check out the scene of Naji carrying a blue door across the bleak desert-like landscape of the Iranian countryside,as well as some other breath taking scenes that are a treat for the eye). Rated PG by the MPAA for some brief,rude language,but contains nothing else to offend.

A film full of Iranian culture, not only the story of a struggling man, the story of hope as Majidi wanted it to, but it is also the story of a people, the story of a country, a culture story.

I don't know if this movie is considered a comedy, but soooo many funny things happen it's hilarious from start to finish. The main thing that comes to mind is murphy's law (if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all; or, if anything can go wrong, it will.) I also really enjoyed seeing the Iranian landscape and their way of life. Everything that can be used or fixed is utilized. This movie is serious, funny, heartwarming, and good clean family type of entertainment. I thought the acting was great, and the characters endearing. This has got to be one of the best foreign films I've seen. Best thing since Slumdog Millionaire. Too bad it wasn't in English, but than maybe that added to the overall sense of the movie.

Another movie that played at the Berlin Film Festival, this low-key drama has a very human side to it. The actors (some of which were also in Germany for the premiere and seem as down to earth, as the roles they played in this movie) are really good and have a simplicity to them that is very gorgeous.

The characters are very down to earth and the story itself or let's say it's pace, might remind people of classic movies such as "Bicycle Thieves" (kind of neo-realism, if you want to call it that). If you don't have a problem with that, then you will enjoy this movie as much as the audience in Berlin did (including myself) :o)