The Salesman

Name: The Salesman
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: January 27, 2017
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 85

2017

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 292 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 292 Ratings

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The Salesman

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Movie Details & Credits

Cohen Media Group | Release Date: January 27, 2017 | Not Rated

Summary: After their old flat becomes damaged, Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), a young couple living in Tehran, are forced to move into a new apartment. Eventually, an incident linked to the previous tenant of their new home dramatically changes the couple’s life.

Director: Asghar Farhadi

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 124 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Calvin Wilson

Feb 9, 2017

The film offers insights into Iranian society while also subtly making a case that human foibles are universal. Read full review

100

Joe McGovern

Jan 26, 2017

By the film’s shattering end, you’ll feel the spirit of Arthur Miller, one of the great dramatists of the 20th century, reaching across the transom to touch one of the great dramatists of the 21st. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Feb 3, 2017

The performances are remarkable. So is the way Farhadi tells the story. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

May 21, 2016

Though it is dense in allusion and rich in texture, there are choices he makes that ultimately pull The Salesman back from the greatness, and the engulfing universality of his best work. It is as compelling as anything Farhadi has ever made, but it’s also somehow smaller. Read full review

Ben Croll

May 22, 2016

Though a vengeance riff, it remains a Farhadi film all through, so dancing around each other means a lot of talking about action instead of doing action. And that’s fine – the former playwright is uncommonly gifted in writing third acts, where each line of dialogue and simple gesture are imbued with meaning. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Feb 22, 2017

The Salesman makes for a gripping drama of a relationship in crisis. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

May 21, 2016

The Salesman is a well-crafted, valuable drama. Read full review

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User Reviews

Ali_Marashian

Jan 27, 2017

The Salesman, may not be as revolutionary as A Separation, but it's still a piece of magic that shows how powerful storytelling can be( thanks to Asghar Farhadi), and it's undeniably moving, from start to finish. Great performances by Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidousti, this masterpieceThe Salesman, may not be as revolutionary as A Separation, but it's still a piece of magic that shows how powerful storytelling can be( thanks to Asghar Farhadi), and it's undeniably moving, from start to finish. Great performances by Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidousti, this masterpiece is destined to become a classic in Iranian Cinema, in which I hope we see more of AsgharFarhadi- like directors.… Expand

8 of 11 users found this helpful83

aligoudy

Jul 3, 2017

i like the movie
farhadi's films always make me think more about some normal and routine issues around us like his last oscar movie "the seperation"
and good acting is another good featuers of his works

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

mhm_1371

Jan 27, 2017

Gradually
(highly recommended to read these two plays before watching this movie 1.Cow by Gholam Hossein Saedi and 2.Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller)
The salesman is really breathtaking and it has all the familiar factor of farhadi’s movies with a big difference that there is not anyGradually
(highly recommended to read these two plays before watching this movie 1.Cow by Gholam Hossein Saedi and 2.Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller)
The salesman is really breathtaking and it has all the familiar factor of farhadi’s movies with a big difference that there is not any sign of those open ends anymore and you associate with the main character of movie more than any time.
The story is about a young couple (Emad and Rana) who are performing at Arthur Miller’s play Death of a salesman. They have to move to another apartment because their apartment is going to collapse. This moving cause a serious issue in their life because of the old tenant.
In the beginning of the film when Emad_ with brilliant performance by Shahab Hosseini_ and his students was reading saedi’s play Cow, one of his student asked him “Sir,How does a man become cow?” Emad answered: “gradually”. This question and Emad’s answer are the main theme of this movie.
Farhadi has used some part of the play Death of a Salesman in his movie masterfully and he has chosen Emad for the Willy’s role in order to show and emphasize how Emad gradually got far away from his family or even his wife just like willy.
The last twenty minutes of film are really breathtaking and the spectators associate with Emad more than anytime and I think they regularly ask themselves “if I were him, what would I do?”
The salesman is a story about revenge or with accurate express is a story about the motivation of revenge.
This story like another fahadi’s movies occurs in a family and effects family members.
After A separation and now with the salesman Farhadi can be considered as a great master in directing suspenseful family drama like Hitchcock.
The salesman (Asghar Fahadi)(2016)
By Hossein Aghaee… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

Amirhosein2005

Jun 7, 2021

An excellent and calculated film that deals with human and anti-human behaviors.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Feb 6, 2017

One of this year's Oscar entries for Best Foreign Film comes from Iran and writer/director Asghar Farhadi, who won the award for "The Separation." It starts as a couple is forced to evacuate their apartment and move into a new building. When they return home from their production of "DeathOne of this year's Oscar entries for Best Foreign Film comes from Iran and writer/director Asghar Farhadi, who won the award for "The Separation." It starts as a couple is forced to evacuate their apartment and move into a new building. When they return home from their production of "Death of a Salesman," an unfortunate incident launches the drama with grief and suspicion. In American hands, this would be a high-pitched angry drama, but in the apprehensive culture of Iran and the underplayed style of the director, it's rendered as a more sober experience. There's virtually no music. The pacing is deliberate. Tension rises slightly during the compelling final encounter, but it remains emotionally subdued. This film provides interesting cultural insights and subtle performances, but the meandering pace requires patience.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

Acclamation

Sep 16, 2017

Great acting, but it's very slow to start. Worth a watch, but this isn't anything revolutionary. It does illustrate Iranian culture in terms of relationships.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MDarwish

May 26, 2018

This movie depicts the Iranian Muslims way more different than they are. The logic is messed up. You forgive your own wife's raper! Unfortunately, these directors are only showing the negatives of Iran, and hell yes, they are magnifying the issue 1000x! Normal Main Street Iranians have neverThis movie depicts the Iranian Muslims way more different than they are. The logic is messed up. You forgive your own wife's raper! Unfortunately, these directors are only showing the negatives of Iran, and hell yes, they are magnifying the issue 1000x! Normal Main Street Iranians have never experienced such stuff. And foreigners (to Iran) give prizes to these movies just because of that; showing the bad side of Iran.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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29	#29 Best Movie of 2017
91	#91 Most Shared Movie of 2017