Farhadi is a beautiful storyteller with a keen eye for nuanced, flawed characters. Fireworks Wednesday never hits a false beat; instead, it moves methodically forward, taking time to explore its themes and create a fully realized world.

Fantastic movie, brimming with intense yet understated family drama, something like Cassavetes. The performances are all really good, especially Hedye Tehrani (to continue the Cassavetes comparison, she's got a Gena Rowlands thing going on). Although the commentary on gender roles will have more meaning to an Iranian audience, there is a universality to the situation and the interactions. Using the noise of the fireworks to punctuate the drama, however, is a little too obvious.