Search - A Moment of Innocence on DVD

One of my favorite film experiences ever

severin | new york city | 07/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is definitely the best Iranian film I've seen. It collapses fiction and documentary into an absolutely unique, humorous and overwhelmingly moving statement about violent political idealism and its collision with the realities of life and love. In the 70's, the filmmaker was a teenage Islamic militant fighting against the Shah. He stabbed a policeman and was jailed. Years later he became famous director. A man knocked at his front door and said, "I'm the policeman you stabbed. I want to be in one of your films. You owe me." The director said, "Let's make a film about what happened." This film is a reenactment/documentary about the making of that film and it blows me away every time."

"Don't You Want To Save The World?" ~ A Flower, A Loaf Of Br

Brian E. Erland | Brea, CA - USA | 09/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Note: Persian with English subtitles.

Released in '96 director Mohsen Makhmalbaf has created a cinematic masterpiece in this introspective semi-documentary film which provides the audience with a highly personal glimpse into real life events from his past. From the opening sequence of one solitary man walking along the train tracks as the "call to the faithful" echoes from a nearby mosque the film draws its audience into an almost surreal world containing a storyline being told by two individuals from two very different perspectives.

The storyline merges and deviates back and forth between the memory of one particular event from the past that forever effected the course of both their lives. When all is said and done one ultimately learns that while perspectives and accounts may alter with the passing of time actions and events remain unchanged.

Time disappears and one becomes lost in the intelligent dialogue and exotic urban landscape of Tehran to such a degree that when the closing credits suddenly and unexpectedly appear on the screen one feels as though awakening from a dream. And like a dream one is left with much to ponder and dissect in the days that follow.

This is what filmmaking is all about!"

Great Concept, Poor Execution

S. M. Rauland | 03/11/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The concept of a director creating a movie about a policeman he injured as a young revolutionary sure sounds intriguing, but the film just doesn't deliver. Seeing the policeman explain the circumstances of the incident to the young actor hired to play him is moderately interesting for a while, but should only be a beginning, not the high point of the film. What would have been truly interesting -- some interaction between the policeman and the film director -- doesn't happen at all. This film isn't even remotely close in quality to some of the classics of Iranian cinema such as "Children of Heaven.""