Who is the author? "Arthur Miller", he says, of a play called the 'Death of a Salesman' that the protagonist, who is also a teacher for young boys (yes, no girls in the class), is going to perform. There is a possible death of a salesman at the end of the film (not in the play), however, this film is about the teacher who plays the salesman. As confusing it may sound, as intricately it has been woven with a packaging of simplicity.
There is nothing for you if you haven't watched the film.
The characters' psychosis -
He is a helpful person, who could risk his life to save someone in need. Hitchcock's ticking time bomb under the table has been realistically executed with a building on the verge of collapsing but in the end, Asghar proves to be a man of his own style when he makes the drama supersede the influence of a ticking time bomb in audience's mind.
Emad teaches a class of youngsters and never takes anything as an offence. Every shot has a purpose to show the change in attitude of the character. His hate and disgust for lust is something which visibly developed after the incident. He is ruthless to Babak who used to visit a prostitute, calling him a degenerate, he takes out his frustration on the boy in whose phone he found some indecent images and he is merciless to the old man who says 'he gave in to temptation' for his wife; well, he should be, even we would be so and that makes this film far more indulging when you can find yourself in the driver's seat.
The film is not one shot extra, neither a moment longer, the precision reminds me of Erik Satie who calls himself a phonometrician, not a musician. The ending shot is when Emad and his wife are getting touch ups before the play and these make up is what the film is probably about. While the film ends with them getting make up, but by that time, all their make up is lost.
The person who tries to be a helpful person, a calm and considerate person, turns out is not. That was his make up which his wife saw him loose. He can lie to his wife on her face, however, he can also accept it the next moment when the lie is no more vulnerable. Though it doesn't affect anyone, his wife can see how easy it is for him to lie. Towards the end, they both apply make ups to continue leading their normal lives.
I also wrote about The Hunting (Jagten) which also discusses the gradual character development and there is some organic similarity.
The filmmaking -
Opens with the setting up of the stage and closes with setting up of the characters, it is in the middle that they have played. Other than one shot in the car, a medium close up, which I felt unrequited, I never felt a jerk because of filmmaking. Continuous shots, even those which were difficult capture, were well executed, like the camera moving outside the staircase in a semi-circle to capture the mattress being moved. The intended difficulty of moving was conveyed in a minimalist way which made the audience empathize with them when they might had to move out.
The drama of the climax is intensified by the direction, the emptiness of the room, everything added to it.
It was the old man at last, who steals the play with his natural, unpretentious acting. What a superb achievement and everything that happens in the climax, the edge of the seat drama, is real only because of his passiveness. The face which would make you have mercy on him, that gullible face is hated so much by the salesman that he can even make him die.
There are films which stands out for it's ingenuity, some stand out for it's subtlety, however, this stands out for it's execution.
Asghar Farhadi is man who knows how to create drama. Who can make it happen, like that!
Even in A Separation and The Past, more so in Separation than 'The Past', from normalcy, he takes the film to a high and leave the characters there. Let the drama unfold.
The series of masterpieces of execution truly matter.
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