A Separation

Accessible and engaging. Farhardi shows that what's practical must sometimes take precedence over an ideal when one is forced to prioritize conflicting responsibilities (church, state, family, integrity). Trusting the power of the moral predicaments, he avoids sentimentality and draws exquisite performances. His multifaceted story - both culturally specific and universally relatable - is told elegantly, with perfect unity. An empathetic glimpse into the complicated lives of realistic characters.

So effortlessly complex, intensely personal and intimate, and brutally honest that it defies words. Every character is 100% fully realized and empathetic, every word of dialogue and individual action integral to the plot, every shot perfectly conveying both surface emotion and thematic subtext. If there are any flaws to be had (besides, perhaps, the slight contrivance of its proceedings), I damn sure can't find them. Worthy of the best Cassavetes or Bergman.

The most compelling legal drama since '12 Angry Men.' It's impossible to take sides as we're presented with multiple earnest variations of a miserable situation. There are struggles with honor, responsibility, faith and big questions about morality. This is a family drama that transcends culture, though clearly presented through the Iranian lens. Our own moral compass is stretched to its limit. We're asked 'what would you do?' and then, at our most vulnerable, we're called to the witness stand.

What Susanne Bier wished she could do: Two hours of first-class yelling, screaming and crying by characters so three-dimensional they'll touch, if not break, both your heart and mind. In other words perhaps the best truly dramatic movie experience of 2011 - with a closing shot as powerful as they gets.

A tough film to watch. It has some shining scenes, but it also has a lot of empty drama; it moves from a family's separation to Alzheimer's, physical abuse, a miscarriage, accusations of murder, etc. It's an emotional film but the melodrama goes a bit far -- the only way to connect to these characters is through their tragedy. It's slow, quiet, and subtle despite it's heavy drama, and it does have an impact. Still, a disappointment.