'ROSEWATER': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Jon Stewart (of 'THE DAILY SHOW' fame) makes his directorial debut with this biopic about an Iranian-Canadian journalist, named Maziar Bahari, who was detained and violently interrogated, in Iran for 118 days, because he was suspected of being a spy. One of the main pieces of evidence, that captors used as proof of his guilt, was a satirical interview he did for 'THE DAILY SHOW'. Stewart directed and wrote the film; which he adapted from the memoir 'Then They Came for Me', by Maziar and Aimee Molloy. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal as the journalist and also features Kim Bodnia, Haluk Bilginer, Dimitri Leonidas and Shohreh Aghdashloo. I have mixed feelings about the film, in it's entirety, but I still think it's an impressive cinematic debut for Stewart.
Maziar Bahari (Bernal) was blindfolded, beaten and interrogated for 4 months, in Iran in 2009, while locked up in Evin prion. His interrogator (Bodnia) smelled like rosewater and he used a clip from 'THE DAILY SHOW', of Bahari being interviewed for the satirical political news show, as evidence of his guilt. 'THE DAILY SHOW' segment was recreated for the film, with 'THE DAILY SHOW' correspondent Jason Jones playing himself (Jones originally interviewed Bahari, while traveling in Iran recording video for the show). Bahari also shot incriminating protest video, prior to his arrest, which he gave to the BBC; the film suggests that this was the real reason for his arrest and brutal interrogation. The movie chronicles all of the events leading up to, and during, his nightmarish incarceration.
Stewart shows a lot of promise, with his visual technique, in several scenes throughout the film and it's really interesting seeing him write and direct a political drama, for his debut feature. Still the movie is very unbalanced; at times it's even humorous (to an extent that doesn't seem natural or believable, in the rest of the film's setting). The acting is good though and the lead character is well developed. I wish I could praise it more, because I really want Stewart to succeed as a filmmaker, but I'm happy he chose something that he's really passionate about (and somewhat already involved in) for his film debut (even if it's a flawed one). I look forward to seeing a lot more from him in the future.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/XBTsoCDCJpU
Jon Stewart (of 'THE DAILY SHOW' fame) makes his directorial debut with this biopic about an Iranian-Canadian journalist, named Maziar Bahari, who was detained and violently interrogated, in Iran for 118 days, because he was suspected of being a spy. One of the main pieces of evidence, that captors used as proof of his guilt, was a satirical interview he did for 'THE DAILY SHOW'. Stewart directed and wrote the film; which he adapted from the memoir 'Then They Came for Me', by Maziar and Aimee Molloy. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal as the journalist and also features Kim Bodnia, Haluk Bilginer, Dimitri Leonidas and Shohreh Aghdashloo. I have mixed feelings about the film, in it's entirety, but I still think it's an impressive cinematic debut for Stewart.
Maziar Bahari (Bernal) was blindfolded, beaten and interrogated for 4 months, in Iran in 2009, while locked up in Evin prion. His interrogator (Bodnia) smelled like rosewater and he used a clip from 'THE DAILY SHOW', of Bahari being interviewed for the satirical political news show, as evidence of his guilt. 'THE DAILY SHOW' segment was recreated for the film, with 'THE DAILY SHOW' correspondent Jason Jones playing himself (Jones originally interviewed Bahari, while traveling in Iran recording video for the show). Bahari also shot incriminating protest video, prior to his arrest, which he gave to the BBC; the film suggests that this was the real reason for his arrest and brutal interrogation. The movie chronicles all of the events leading up to, and during, his nightmarish incarceration.
Stewart shows a lot of promise, with his visual technique, in several scenes throughout the film and it's really interesting seeing him write and direct a political drama, for his debut feature. Still the movie is very unbalanced; at times it's even humorous (to an extent that doesn't seem natural or believable, in the rest of the film's setting). The acting is good though and the lead character is well developed. I wish I could praise it more, because I really want Stewart to succeed as a filmmaker, but I'm happy he chose something that he's really passionate about (and somewhat already involved in) for his film debut (even if it's a flawed one). I look forward to seeing a lot more from him in the future.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/XBTsoCDCJpU