There is not a lot I can say about this film without giving away too much and diminishing the experience. Making a trailer for this would likewise be a silly endeavour. Therefore, I will only say a few generalities and give my little reaction to my brief glimpse of the filmmaking of Abbas Kiarostami.

Flippant description: the film starts off all George Sluizer, then it turns into Autumn Spring, then it ends interestingly enough and without copping out. All in the palette of Andrucha Waddington (Me, You, Them).

Overall? it’s a solid film, but I'm not entirely convinced it's the masterpiece people are claiming. The story is very simple. And moving enough. The lessons are apparent. One being that Iran has a beautiful desert with beautiful people. But I suspect this is as much attributable to the foreignness (to us viewing) and diverse cultural history of the place. My only objection is how the film seems to spoon feed us a bit much, as though we were naive children. Of course we are, but that isn't the point. The positive portrayal of the working class, while uplifting, did almost feel like propanganda (for what?). I also found the amount of time with the camera just trained on the character's ruminating profile as he drives around somewhat tedius. Now Kiarostami himself would (and dose) argue that it’s important the film not be too exciting instead preferring to lull you into a quiet sleep. He feels such quietude is helpful in allowing a film to nestle itself into your spiritual being. Hard to disagree with that. The problem with that approach, however, is that the person who cannot turn off his intellect will find himself stirring and restless during much of the film. Tarkovsky and Fellini and Antonioni also utilize quiet and slowness, but offer enough detail all the while to allow unlimited viewings. Although I enjoyed this film and will definitely see his next one, I do not see myself watching this particular film again. But you know what? That's okay. I do keep thinking about the film. And perhaps he's right. The story is burrowing itself into me even now as I try to find fault. Damn. If anything, the film definitely makes me not so keen to go to war with Iran just yet…