The Stoning of Soraya M - 2008

Movie #134
5 stars

Set in 1986 Iran at the start of Khomeini's reign, director Cyrus Nowrasteh's drama tells the true story of Soraya (Mozhan Marnò), whose husband plots to have her falsely accused of adultery so he can divorce her and marry a young girl. French journalist Freidoune (Jim Caviezel) is pulled into Soraya's tragic story when he meets a desperate woman named Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo).

Cast: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marnò, James Caviezel, Navid Negahban, Ali Pourtash, David Diaan, Vida Ghahremani

Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh

Filming Location: An undisclosed location in the Middle East (how awesome is that)

Like: The cast was amazing!! Everyone did an excellent job. Especially the husband. The viewer starts to hate the husband right off the bat...solely because he just looks evil.

Like: The film was very moving. I started to feel for Soraya right away. The whole time I was watching it I still hoped that she would somehow get away...even though it was evident that she was dead. I think this is a hard feat...given the fact that the viewer knows her fate even from the title.














Dislike: Yes, i know the title gives it away but the stoning scene is just too much. The whole process, from her walking, to being buried waist deep, to her final breath, takes about 20 minutes. It is hardcore stuff! Maybe the scene was this way because the audience has already been preparing itself from the start...so the creators felt the need to go a little overboard. If they were going for shock effect, the story in itself is already disheartening. Is it not enough to murder an innocent woman? Do you have to show every strike?

Dislike: The side stories were rather shallow. The husband blackmailed the mullah for something the husband viewed in jail while he was working as a guard. But what was it? I wish I could tell you. The Aunt's story isn't very developed...or should I say not as developed as it could have been. I feel as though in order to get to know the story of Soraya M, one needs to understand the stories of her murderers.

















Overall recommendation: It may seem as though I am bashing this film more than I am praising it but its only because I don't want to give anything away. You should definitely watch this movie...but brace yourself for the stoning.

First Line (title card): Don't act like the hypocrite, who thinks he can conceal his wiles while loudly quoting the Koran. - Hafez, 14th Century Iranian Poet

Last Line: The world will know!