Search - Two Women on DVD

Great Movie - Mediocre DVD

Steven Carroll | Sammamish, WA USA | 11/01/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a tough review to write. I loved this movie a lot when i saw it at Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival and so it was a no-brainer that i would buy it on DVD. The story concerns two college aged friends and the way Iranian society during the revolution leads them to tragedy. It's a really interesting view into the life of women in that culture since we have no real contact with it as westerners. Needless to say, the woman director of this film is not well loved by the Iranian government and has been imprisoned for her work. So this is fantastic work and I highly recommend people check it out.That being said, this DVD is not good. There are no chapter stops. There is lots of noise and compression artifacts in the picture. The subtitles are hard burned into the picture and sometimes fall too low on the screen where they are cut off by the bottom of the screen. They are also white and difficult to read on light backgrounds. And even more absurdly, every few minutes the "irmovies.com" logo is burned into the lower right of the screen. However, i doubt we are going to see an improved release of this film anytime soon and the DVD *IS* watchable with only mild annoyances. Go ahead and buy the film, but don't expect a Criterion style transfer or you will be disappointed."

A poignant and heartbreaking film

Haseeb | Tempe, AZ United States | 06/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the opening of this film, one gets the impression that they are in for a real downer. The background music gives a very somber mood and the opening scene is not a pleasant one. Fereshteh and Roya are two close friends at Tehran University in the early eighties. It is made clear from the beginning that Fereshteh is an above average student. In the beginning of the film, we meet Feresteh in a Calculus class where she goes to the board and casually solves a difficult looking problem that no one else in the class was able to solve. Roya, who is also a student in the class and having difficulties with her studies is impressed by Fereshteh's intelligence and asks her for help. They agree to get together to study and become close friends. Fereshteh is not only intelligent, but she is also beautiful and catches the eye of a young man who wants to marry her. Fereshteh doesn't like this man and rejects his advances. This young man one day sees Fereshteh walking with another man and becomes jealous so he throws acid into the face of the other man who happens to be Fereshteh's cousin. After hearing of this incident, Fereshteh's father forces her to withdraw from the University which soon closes due to the turmoil of the Islamic revolution anyway. Still Fereshteh's only desire is to finish her studies and then help her family. She keeps her hopes up and dreams of going back to college, but will she ever realize that dream? Also, what about her close friend Roya (the one she helped in school)? I strongly believe that even some highly regarded professional movie critics failed to focus on the right things in this film. The reason I'm stating this is because they tended to look at the cultural side and talk about how oppresive the Iranians are with their women. What I got out of the film is that the two women both wanted what the other had at some point in their lives. Roya wanted Fereshteh's intelligence and later in the film we see an interesting but heartbreakingly sad reversal of things. Events similar to what happened in this film can and do happen in every country."

Awkward, but powerful

mitzigg04 | VA | 07/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many people argue that the film was great, but the ending was weak. I argue otherwise... at the ending is shows the power and reciprocity that friendship has. The jewels and wisdom that Roya has shared with her friend become important at the end. It ends, "I have a book on single parenting...". She means that she doesn't just have a book, but that she can help her like she was helped.This movie is full of suspense. The male chaser part is a bit awkward. All in all this movie offers a glimpse on Iranian society along with powerful messages of women's solidarity and friendship. A tearjerker too!"

How life changes ....

Kristen Benevides | ct usa | 04/15/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"in this story of two women, one of the most important things being shown is how life changes. when you think you are in a good position, sometimes things happen out of your control that you take blame/credit for, and that can alter or determine your future. particularly in iran in the time that this is taking place, for one woman to have shame on her family name, the only way out is to marry someone she is not interested in, and who has a respectable background. after doing so, and hoping to return to school, she instead endures the torment and belitllement of the man she thought was shy and lovestruck by her. his jealousy makes him put her down, and ruin her self esteem. as a bright woman who once was at the head of her class and tutored others, what a change her life has taken. if societal conditions were not as they were, she would have gone on to a prominent and well paying career im sure. because of some unfortunate events that were out of her control, she is forced into this marriage without much option, and her life becomes a pure hell. this movie will probably be most enjoyable to women, and all people who understand iran/iranian films, and the differences between them and american film."