MovieChat Forums > Darbareye Elly (2009) Discussion > That wasn't what I expected at all !

That wasn't what I expected at all !


Me and my friend saw this movie yesderday and became absolutley shocked at the end.
actually we were expecting a masterpiece or something as everyone else mentioned but that movie indeed didn't have anything so special or new!
as the film went on we were waiting fo a turning piont which never happend and we found the movie just ordinary!

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[deleted]

No turning point?!! r u kidding me?! one of the best scenes in the movie, the scene that they're trying to find the boy that's drowning. One of the most thrilling and disturbing scenes I've seen in my whole life, and I've seen sooo many movies! I could completely feel my heartbeat during this shocking scene. If you felt nothing about this scene, I think you didn't get the movie at all, and I cannot help you! Do you happen to know what the main theme of this movie is?

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**Contains Spoiler**

This is one of those movies which leaves everything to the audiences.. If you watch this, looking for a whole bunch of facts you're completely seeking the wrong way.. This is about how we allow ourselves to judge anybody so easily, and the greatness of the movie is that it has been done without any judgments.. For example at the end when you find out that Elly is actually drowned it's so brief and passive, and it's been done intentionally to stay away form any judges and make it open for anybody to think it on their own.... The story brings a question to our mind; What has really happened to Elly? it involves our mind to follow the story carefully seeking for the facts, but it never satisfy you in this case. instead the movie points on some vital issues which is the main theme of About Elly; "Judgments"... In other word, the movie changes its direction for a greater and deeper subject.

I think it's film making at it's best because it shows so much respect to the audiences and leaves everything to them. I strongly recommend this to every true cinema fan

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[deleted]

[deleted]

[deleted]

[deleted]

ladies and gentlemen, we have a moron

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I disagree, Nicrobliz has some good points. I have only seen this one film from this director but Nicrobliz's observations certainly do apply to this film. If true, that his other films have similar storylines it casts doubt on the director's intended purpose. If he wanted to improve the human rights of women in his part of the world he wouldn't go about it like this.

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Odd, because I've seen four of Farhadi's films, and none of them really fit Nicrobliz' description.

I guess I could almost kind of see the "melodrama" thing - there is a lot of conflict and arguing in his films. Of course, I don't think "melodrama" is inherently a bad thing - and in this case, I would say his films are some of the most realistic portrayal of human relationships in modern film. There's usually no single huge decision or action that sets things off. I've seen very few films that are as good at showing how the accumulation of passing comments and small lies tend to have the biggest effects on our lives. That's much more true to life than what you see in most movies, I think.

As for the implication of misogyny... I think he's pretty even-handed in how he treats his male and female characters. A Separation is a master class in how to treat all the opposing sides in a debate with equal respect and criticism. They all come out dirty, but they all have valid points-of-view.

And, really, I can't even begin to imagine how much better television would be if the average TV movie was even half as complex and humane and sophisticated as a film like A Separation or About Elly.

So no, I'd say that Nicrobliz is mostly wrong and the "made-for-TV comment" is just generic, nonsensical piffle used to condemn any movie that isn't as stylistically in-your-face as, say, the average Tarantino film.

For the record, I also love Iranian cinema. I would agree that Farhadi isn't Kiarostami or Ghobadi or Panahi or Makhmalbaf - but he doesn't need to be.

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I just watched this movie, It's a nice drama movie as expected Irani cenema,
the story is light... here i'll only focus on one thing which core issue of this movie, "The Honor of Elly" which was broken by Sepideh, and she felt guilt, and that was the moment, the top most of the movie.
this movie stands on two parts, "the guilt of Sepideh" and "the broken honor of Elly" the story was built delicately around it,

unfortunatly nobody discussed this point, only left the comments about story, and other stuff,

so guys do watch Irani moovies carefully.. with sentiments.

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Apparently it was a bit too complicated for you to relate to the artistic logic behind it.

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[deleted]

I think you thought that elly is dead at the end but you should attention that you can see only half of her face in hospital and her boy friend didnt see her carefully and this is the point that you cant understand that elly is dead or alive.

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But didn't Peyman say 'my condolences'?

It certainly looked like her





Ashmi any question

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Peyman said that based on Alireza's facial expression, but we never actually see the fiancé confirm anything. I personally don't know for sure if it's her or not, the corpse was definitely the right age.

I don't need a signature.

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But it has to be most likely that it is her. Otherwise you can't explain her disapperance. I doubt she would have just gone home without any notice, leaving the kids alone so she could escape and not taking her bag with her.
She never struck me as being that selfish or desperate. And its not like she could have been kidnapped or something. So third and final option is drowning.



Ashmi any question

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I think the ending is left intentionally ambiguous, we can't explain her disappearance...Did she drown, did she escape from her life, was that really her fiancé or someone she planned to run away with...so many questions!

I don't need a signature.

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[deleted]

I didn't read the director's commentary, do you know where I can find it?

I don't need a signature.

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[deleted]

Ok thanks.

I don't need a signature.

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The bag was hidden by Sepideh, so Elly could not have gotten it even if she wanted.

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I also could not be sure it was Elly.

It would be the most likely outcome as I doubt many women were drowned in the sea that day.

I was thinking it was a cultural thing not to show the dead womans full face and hair because she did not have a head scarf on.

I was rather annoyed to be shown the full face.

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are you sure you were watching this movie?

no turning point?
the girl going missing and no one knowing whether she drowned or left isn't a good enough turning point to you?


Put your trust in God.Your ass belongs to me.

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There was obviously a turning point in the film when the boy nearly drowned and Elly went missing.

What I think you might have been trying to say was that there was nothing in the film that really captivated you. And I would agree with that.

The good thing about this film was the almost 100% single location filming -the villa house- When you do a film like that you have to have a good storyline to keep the viewer interested and this film did have a good story to keep you watching. But I would say that it didn't really grab me and captivate me, it didn't touch my heart, it didn't teach me very much, it didn't provoke any deep thoughts.

If you want a good Iranian film, which does all of the above...... and this is a message for Nicrobiz,..... Then you should watch Rang e Khoda (1999)

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I agree - once they realised she was missing and there was a mystery at hand it was very engaging.. but there was an opportunity to take that mystery through some more twists and turns and have a big ending but instead it just fizzled out

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The film was filled with turning point after turning points.
Not sure if you know the definition of it though.

Just like the words "special" "new" "masterpiece" "ordinary" "shocked" etc.
Read a dictionary some time?



Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down and a Wagging Finger of Shame

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Agree, 100%

After wasting my time watching The Salesman, I foolishly decided to check the director's other "masterpiece". Well, this was worse, maybe, but neither were good. Both were incoherently scripted and unrealistic in the extreme. Entertaining, perhaps, but then so is a nice sunset. Goodbye

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