This Iranian film has one of those rare 'left hanging' endings that kept the entire audience in their seats while the credits rolled.
It's the sort of ending that isn't everyone's cup of tea - but I loved it because it gave me ample material to mull over and debate for days afterwards. And how many films can you say that about?
But I'm jumping to the end before I've even said what it's about. The film opens with married couple Nadir and Simin in front of a judge seeking a separation. Simin wants them to take their daughter Termeh to another country in order to pursue a better life while Nadir does not want to leave his father who has alhzeimers.
Simin moves out of the family home so Nadir employs a woman, Razieh, to look after his father and do the housework while he is at work. But soon everything begins to unravel.
A Separation is a fascinating tale, not least because it is so human, shot almost as if it's a fly on the wall documentary. It's engrossing and interesting, subtlely putting the bigger issues of every day life under a magnifying glass. I couldn't have imagined a better way of concluding it. And it will certainly be going on my Love Film list to watch again.
I'm giving it 84%. IMDb has given it 86% while on Rotten Tomatoes there isn't a consensus from the critics but the reader rating is 93%.
Below is the trailer and a far more eloquent review from Mark Kermode.
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