[ film reviews ]
Messy Reunion ‘The Past’ Picks Up Where ‘A Separation’ Left Off by Ky N. Nguyen
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ranian writer-director Asghar Dickens’s Farhadi’s stunning near-masterpiece ‘Invisible Woman’ “A Separation” proved to be a fantasBritish actor-cum-director Ralph tic success, winning Iran’s very first Fiennes’ second turn behind the helm Academy Award for best foreign lanin “The Invisible Woman” is a much guage film in 2012. Farhadi also more calm, dignified journey than the received an Oscar nomination for overwrought craziness of his directobest writing in an original screenplay — rial debut, “Coriolanus.” The refined quite a rarity for a non-English language “Masterpiece Theatre” look worn script. In a normal year, such honors at the handsomely well by “The Invisible Academy Awards would stick out for a Woman” provides a fitting backdrop foreign film. for Fiennes’s direction and acting (he But in 2012, a sleeper French producalso stars in the title role) tion,“The Artist,” unexpectedly dominated Historic costume dramas continuthe Oscar largess after initially getting out ally pour out of the United Kingdom, of the gates rather quietly.The modern-day but they’re seldom as in vogue as they silent movie leveraged its dialogue-free are today due to the widespread popgimmick, which many early pundits ularity of “Downton Abbey” and the viewed as a handicap, to steadily pick up Photo: Carole Bethuel / Sony Pictures Classics like. “The Invisible Woman” is a fine steam throughout the Oscar race. The example of the genre that proves to overwhelming juggernaut cleaned up Bérénice Bejo, left, and Ali Mosaffa portray an estranged couple formalizing their divorce in Iranian writerbe by no means tired out across the with a shocking five Academy Awards, director Asghar Farhadi’s latest film, “The Past.” centuries. Costume designer Michael including best picture and best director O’Connor (“The Duchess”) may even win another Academy Award for his fashionable crefor French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius. Its 10 total Oscar nominations, also remarkable for a foreign feature, included a nod for ations that artfully drape the players. Fiennes rings in his usual distinguished performance as legendary author Charles Dickens. best supporting actress given to French actress Bérénice Bejo. Her charming performance launched her path into international stardom, but Though Fiennes rightfully portrays an older, successful Dickens as a busy, confident, powersome critics claimed she did little more than smile, ful figure, he’s not by any means the center of the storyline. The Past That ground is firmly stood by Dickens’s 18-year-old lover Nelly Ternan, a wannabe theslook pretty, grimace, and gesture at the camera. Bejo (“Le passé”) pian who’s a decidedly more troubled character. She is vividly brought to our imagination needed a chance to prove her detractors wrong. (French and Farsi with subtitles; 130 min.) out of the dusty pages of history courShe got that chance by Landmark’s E Street Cinema tesy of a career-making performance by joining forces with Farhadi to Opens Fri., Jan. 10 Felicity Jones at the tender age of 30. play his leading lady in “The Throw in the always delightful to Past,” the latest film from the ★★★★✩ watch Kristin Scott Thomas — a nationtalented Iranian writer-direcal treasure, but of which country, Britain tor. “The Past” gives Bejo a grown-up role that allows her to show or France? — as Nelly’s rightfully conoff her serious acting chops, as she gets down and dirty portraying cerned stage mother Frances Ternan, an unlikeable character. and it provides a long anticipated Farhadi’s assured direction is all the more remarkable consideropportunity for Fiennes to reunite on ing he’s directing his actors speaking in French, a language in which screen with his costar from“The English he isn’t fluent. Iranian-born actor Ali Mosaffa (who gained notice in Patient,” the 1996 hit that made both Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui’s “Leila” and “Pari”) makes the most actors internationally famous. out of a difficult role as the estranged screen husband of Bejo’s British screenwriter Abi Morgan character. French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim (whose star perfor(“Shame,” “The Iron Lady”) carefully mance in “A Prophet” caught Farhadi’s eye) delivers a quietly stiradapts her script from Claire Tomalin’s ring performance as the third leg of the tense love triangle. 1990 biography of Nelly, whose 13-year “The Past” serves as a worthy follow-up to “A Separation,” respectaffair with Dickens in his final twilight fully honoring the groundbreaking legacy of the family drama about Photo: David Appleby / Sony Pictures Classics years managed to stay remarkably a couple torn by the desire to start a new life abroad and the guilt unknown despite his celebrity. The of leaving their elderly father in Iran (also see “Family Portrait Ralph Fiennes, left, directs and stars in “Invisible Woman,” about Charles famous author meets budding actress Exposes Idiosyncrasies of Iran’s Authoritarianism” in the February Dickens’s affair with a younger woman, played by Felicity Jones. Nelly while staging a play by his play2012 issue of The Washington Diplomat). In a way, the story of “The wright buddy Wilkie Collins (Tom Past” picks up where “A Separation” left off. “The Past” opens at the Hollander).The starry-eyed girl quickly becomes enamored airport in Paris, where Marie (Bejo) has fetched her Iranian-descended husband The Invisible Woman of Dickens, and the rest is history. Eventually, their affair after a lengthy absence. Initially, the scene appears to be a happy reunion, but it (English; 111 min.; scope) leads to the destruction of Dickens’s marriage to his wife turns out that Ahmad (Mosaffa) is actually finally agreeing to grant a long overdue Angelika Mosaic Catherine (Joanna Scanlan), whom he finally divorces late divorce to Marie. Landmark’s E Street Cinema in his life. Screenwriter Morgan crafts the story’s structure In the meantime, they must coexist under the same roof in Marie’s home, also with alternate viewpoints from Nelly’s life after Dickens’s Opens Fri., Jan. 17 inhabited by Lucie (Pauline Burlet) and Léa (Jeanne Jestin), Marie’s children from death. As an adult, she’s still working in the theater — a relationship prior to Ahmad. What Marie does not tell Ahmad, until he finds out ★★★★✩ though she’s yet to find peace with her life. for himself, is that her current lover Samir (Rahim) has moved in with his young stepson Fouad (Elyes Aguis).That’s rather a big mess in a small space, leaving little room for Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat. secrets.
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The Washington Diplomat
January 2014