As with most of Kiarostami's stuff it is a simple tale, beautifully observed told with warmth and humanity. We see the story from the kid's point of view which allows Kiarostami to frustrate us with quite how much children are ignored or taken advantage of by adults. Not quite perfect but still suitably delightful.

429

501

Perhaps the best children's movie ever made. The simple story is told with warmth and humanity and clear-cut dialogue. A near masterpiece.

As with most of Kiarostami's stuff it is a simple tale, beautifully observed told with warmth and humanity. We see the story from the kid's point of view which allows Kiarostami to frustrate us with quite how much children are ignored or taken advantage of by adults. Not quite perfect but still suitably delightful.

#466

ödev, cocuk, arkadaslik, defter, okul, ögretmen, aramak, adres sormak, kapi muhabbeti, arkadasinin defteri kendisinde kalan cocuk defeteri arkadasina götürmeye karar verir. biraz duragan, gercekci, gereksiz hikayeler var, kapi mevzusu gibi, cocuk cok miymiy (anlasibilir bir durum ama)

It's a wonder that so many Persian filmmakers can make films like this that are similar thematically -- children wandering helplessly in dismissive, authoritarian adult worlds -- yet nevertheless feel entirely distinct from one another. Unlike some of the other films in this sub-genre the lead child actor is actually kind of likeable and not completely annoying. Always a plus when child leads don't make you want to tear your hair out.

When watching any Iranian film, consider the Rule of Modesty enforced by their government. All in all, its an entertaining film that evokes great emotion from a simple concept, which is an ability I find admirable in any art form. It reminds me of some Ray films that also had great interest in the psychology of children and the universal connection it makes with an audience.

Feels like a half hour idea padded out to 90 minutes. Perhaps Kiarostami should try doing shorts. Oh, but then we wouldn't have such fascinating lectures about old doors.

There's some annoying parts, but overall, this is a wonderful neo-realistic sort of thing.

Kiarostami manages to extract an awful lot from a simple story. It's slow and somewhat repetitive, yet every scene brings something new to think about, and I found the young boy and his small yet large troubles incredibly compelling. That such a film can manage to be both a portrait of rural Iranian society and at the same time a universal tale of childhood is a testament to its greatness.

# 483

I hate movies which are based on the miseries of 9 years olds

Very good for a first feature film but Kiarostami is still green behind the ears, and some of his subsequent films are more mature. Dialogue is what Kiarostami excels in, and here already, the conversations are the best feature.