Arts&Entertainment
Melanie Falk/DN
By Josh Krauter
Senior editor
The subject of the family conflict
| in the Iranian drama “Leila” is so for
eign, so alien, so unfathomable for
an American audience that it may
shock some viewers. - i
Yes, “Leila” is a disturbing,
shocking film, but it achieves this
not through graphic violence,
images of insanity or daring filming
techniques. Rather, it disturbs in the
guise of a quiet, subtle story about
how a country’s traditions can tear a
family apart.
Leila, played by Leila Hatami,
and her husband, Reza (Ali
Mosaffa), are a young, happy couple,
enjoying each other and their new
marriage. Unlike some depictions of
Iranian marriage in film, this one is a
fairly equal relationship. Reza and
Leila confide in each other and each
of their families. Reza respects Leila
as a friend and doesn’t patronize her.
However, Leila and Reza haven’t
been able to bear a child. They aren’t
particularly concerned at first. They
have each other, and that’s all they
want. The problem is Reza’s mother
(Jamileh Sheikhi).
When Sheikhi is introduced
about 20 minutes into the film, she
lays it on thick. The camera points
directly at her, so she seems to be
talking to the audience. From her
conversation, viewers learn that she
has three daughters and only one son,
Reza. It’s obvious she wanted no
daughters and pays them little atten
tion.
Now she wants a grandson from
Reza. Reza and Leila keep trying and
finally visit a doctor. After a series of
tests, it’s decided that Leila can’t
have children.
When Reza and Leila get home
from the doctor, the phone rings and
rings. Reza answers, explains the sit
uation and hangs up. The phone rings
again. More family members. He
explains and hangs up. The phone
rings again - more family members.
Though Reza says he doesn’t
want children, Leila feds bound by
tradition and family. Reza’s mother,
under the guise of empathy for
Leila’s infertility, visits her often.
During these visits, she plays psy
chological games, goading Leila into
letting Reza take a second wife,
which he eventually does, setting the
film on its course of tragedy.
For anyone who hasn’t seen the
film, it’s hard to imagine how Leila’s
mother-in-law could be so effective
in getting Leila and Reza to do some
thing they don’t want to do. Yet all
three actors’ performances are utter
ly believable.
Sheikhi is a scene-stealer who
brings complexity and.a frank bitter
ness to a role that could have been a
thankless “evil mother-in-law”
stereotype. Mosaffa is good, though
subdued, as the brow-beaten son who
must betray either his mother or his
wife and will lose either way.
And Hatami is stunning as Leila.
She conveys shame, sadness, disap
pointment and joy with minimal
facial expressions ami subtle acting.
It also helps to understand
Iranian custom. Husbands can take
second wives as long as the first
wives approve. They also must reside
in different homes. “Leila” assumes
this is already known and doesn’t
work too hard to coddle to Western
audiences.
“Leila” is a film of depth and
feeling that shows how tradition and
custom sometimes disregard human
emotions and logic. But it’s also a
distancing film. The characters have
to keep themselves locked away from
each other to carry out their duties,
and this reflects back to the audi
ence.
The film is also too long. There
are four scenes where Leila’s moth
er-in-law pushes her to let Reza take
another wife. Two would have suf
ficed. Additionally, Reza rejects
three wives before deciding on one.
These scenes provide humor to the
otherwise heavy film, but one could
STARS: Leila Hatami, Ait
Mosaffa, Jamileh Sheikhi
DIRECTOR: Daring
Mebrjui
RATING: Not Rated
(nothing offensive)
GRADE: B
FIVE WORDS: Gripping,
but overlong Iranian drama
have been snipped. And the ending
was too inevitable to have been
dragged on so long, eventually com
ing full circle.
“Leila” unfolds like a tape meas
ure, revealing itself inch by inch, fact
by fact, until the entire situation is
stretched out. Then, in a half-second,
it snaps back to where it started.
“Leila” is showing as part of the
Iranian Film Festival at the Mary
Riepma Ross Film Theater on
Saturday at 5 p.m.
