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21 Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Baran
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MPAA RATING: PG for language and brief violence
Starring Hossein Abedini, Zahra Bahrami, Mohammad Amir Naji, Hossein Mahjoub, Abbas Rahimi, and Gholam Ali Bakhshi
Baran is the story of Afghan refugees told through the eyes of an Iranian teenage boy named Lateef. His devotion to a person he barely knows leads him to the choice that will change his life forever. (Miramax Films)
| GENRE(S): | Romance |
| WRITTEN BY: | Majid Majidi |
| DIRECTED BY: | Majid Majidi |
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: October 22, 2002 Video: October 22, 2002 Theatrical: December 7, 2001 |
| RUNNING TIME: | 94 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: | Iran |
| LANGUAGE(S): | Farsi / Dari (with English subtitles) |
Original Farsi title "Hamsay-e khoda"; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Abedini), Best Music, Best Sound Recording, Best Sound Effects, 2001 International Teheran Fajr Film Festival; Grand Prix of America, 2001 Montreal World Film Festival
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this movie is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Eric S. gave it a10:
As you watch the movie, ask yourself what guides Lateef. Is it a possible desire for romance, as some have suggested; is it also extreme guilt, longing for penitence, protectiveness toward the opposite sex, sympathy, and, finally, respect for the value of human life? Does it start with a few of these feelings, and then lead to progressively more? Why is the movie called "Baran," when it appears to be much more about the moral growth of Lateef? Could it be that Lateef's devotion is to Baran, ultimately the "rain" that cleanses his soul?
Patricia D. gave it a10:
A different movie, full of emotion and melancoli.
Chad S. gave it a 9:
They don't serve tea at a Ken Loach worksite. In "Baran", the girl Baran masquerades as a boy; not too successfully but she passes muster with the largely Iranian housebuilders, who tolerate, but don't truly see the Afghani labor amongst them. But Lateef discovers Baran's not-THAT-guarded secret and falls in love with her. At first, we think Lateef is shy, but then it dawns on us that it's Baran's background which keeps him from pursuing her heart. At first, "Baran" is sort of like the Iranian "Riff-Raff", but then it turns into a meditation on how politics prevent love from being requited. When Lateef leaves the construction site, Majid Majidi and his d.p. unleash a multitude of memorable images. In the stunning final scene, Baran does something to demonstrate that she's not a victim of Lateef's thousand-yard stare. Baran feels the same way too. And the final shot, is a powerful one, that sends you out of the theater happy. Go Greek if you must, then go east young man(or woman), go east.
Nima J. gave it a 10:
loved it! Iranian cinema is starting to become appealing for the first time :)
Reza G. M. gave it an 8:
It's not Majidi's best film! have you seen "God's Color"?

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