I went to the premier of the movie with a great anticipation and I can say it fits well into what could be expected from Mr Farhadi.
Honestly speaking, I was hesitating whether to rate it 8 or 7 out of 10 because probably this movie is standing a bit lower than his ''The Salesman'' or ''A Separation'', for example.
Let me build my review from negative - from my point of view - to more positive features of the movie.
The topic of a kidnapping is very much explored in film industry and unfortunately it bears a predefined/ prejudged drama, which very often sounds or looks like a cliché. The shock, the panic... the decision not to call the police and to start to collect the money for ransom... I find an interesting reference here to ''The Salesman'' where our family in the main role also decided not to call the police in Tehran for the incident - probably a nice twist showing that people all across the world are actually the same and this could be considered a part of the universal message of most of Farhadi's movies...
The character of Irene practically turns into a true victim of the whole story being just at age of 16... One of the last cadres of her being devastated and exhausted and suffering somehow look well authentic but show what is the price and who has to pay it for the ''games'' of the adults or other people in general. Following the open-end approach of Mr Farhadi, the reasonable questions are - what will be her fate, will she overcome this trauma, will she forget and how, will she remain a victim for the rest of her life?
The meeting and the talks between Alejandro, the husband, and Paco, the lover, of Laura seem provocative and probably they are pushing the limits but... my que is - is it the same also for the European ''libertine'' culture? It is understandable that in many parts of the world it is unthinkable to meet the lover of your wife or to raise a kid from another man and this is presented also in a controversial way in the movie. Nevertheless, the character of Alejandro is subject to mockery, including for his faith in God, leaving to us, the spectators, to wonder whether the author would like to present him as a divine or a looser-type man... or probably the both?
Let me move towards some more positive things. Following the title, I personally liked the general notion that most, if not all secrets are actually calling to be revealed or discovered, therefore - often a lot of secrets are known by everyone - ''Everybody Knows''! This is simply how it happens in true life.
Another thing I love in Farhadi's movies is the intention of the characters to practically dig as deep as possible and to reach to the bottom of what it has to be.
In this context the full clarity about the events, including the (open) end revealing who had organized the kidnapping but leaving it in the mist whether people will actually tell about it, is really worth an appreciation.
From my personal point of view, yes, I simply agree that past plays a big role nowadays, yes, old deeds do matter, yes, infidelity and children from another man are life-changing events, yes, there are a lot of secrets ''known by everybody'', but for which people are often reluctant to talk, yes, there are weaker and stronger persons and often the ones seen or called ''weak'' attract and receive mockery, yes, often in true life the most innocent become victims, yes, a lot of people accept to make big compromises or simply continue to live the life as it is... but at a high price...
''Everybody Knows'' is the next good movie from Mr Farhadi, hardly overtaking his previous masterpieces, which could be considered an unexpected surprise at the time, but anyway, this is an authentic psychological drama, unfortunately or fortunately - trying to warn or teach us something like every piece of the big art - with sad and even deep dark connotations...
Honestly speaking, I was hesitating whether to rate it 8 or 7 out of 10 because probably this movie is standing a bit lower than his ''The Salesman'' or ''A Separation'', for example.
Let me build my review from negative - from my point of view - to more positive features of the movie.
The topic of a kidnapping is very much explored in film industry and unfortunately it bears a predefined/ prejudged drama, which very often sounds or looks like a cliché. The shock, the panic... the decision not to call the police and to start to collect the money for ransom... I find an interesting reference here to ''The Salesman'' where our family in the main role also decided not to call the police in Tehran for the incident - probably a nice twist showing that people all across the world are actually the same and this could be considered a part of the universal message of most of Farhadi's movies...
The character of Irene practically turns into a true victim of the whole story being just at age of 16... One of the last cadres of her being devastated and exhausted and suffering somehow look well authentic but show what is the price and who has to pay it for the ''games'' of the adults or other people in general. Following the open-end approach of Mr Farhadi, the reasonable questions are - what will be her fate, will she overcome this trauma, will she forget and how, will she remain a victim for the rest of her life?
The meeting and the talks between Alejandro, the husband, and Paco, the lover, of Laura seem provocative and probably they are pushing the limits but... my que is - is it the same also for the European ''libertine'' culture? It is understandable that in many parts of the world it is unthinkable to meet the lover of your wife or to raise a kid from another man and this is presented also in a controversial way in the movie. Nevertheless, the character of Alejandro is subject to mockery, including for his faith in God, leaving to us, the spectators, to wonder whether the author would like to present him as a divine or a looser-type man... or probably the both?
Let me move towards some more positive things. Following the title, I personally liked the general notion that most, if not all secrets are actually calling to be revealed or discovered, therefore - often a lot of secrets are known by everyone - ''Everybody Knows''! This is simply how it happens in true life.
Another thing I love in Farhadi's movies is the intention of the characters to practically dig as deep as possible and to reach to the bottom of what it has to be.
In this context the full clarity about the events, including the (open) end revealing who had organized the kidnapping but leaving it in the mist whether people will actually tell about it, is really worth an appreciation.
From my personal point of view, yes, I simply agree that past plays a big role nowadays, yes, old deeds do matter, yes, infidelity and children from another man are life-changing events, yes, there are a lot of secrets ''known by everybody'', but for which people are often reluctant to talk, yes, there are weaker and stronger persons and often the ones seen or called ''weak'' attract and receive mockery, yes, often in true life the most innocent become victims, yes, a lot of people accept to make big compromises or simply continue to live the life as it is... but at a high price...
''Everybody Knows'' is the next good movie from Mr Farhadi, hardly overtaking his previous masterpieces, which could be considered an unexpected surprise at the time, but anyway, this is an authentic psychological drama, unfortunately or fortunately - trying to warn or teach us something like every piece of the big art - with sad and even deep dark connotations...