Justin Chang

When one of her friends is injured at a rally, Rezvan becomes increasingly supportive of the movement, to her parents' chagrin. But even Iman has his doubts about the government he serves. He is demoralized by his new job, which forces him to interrogate and likely imprison hundreds of protesters.

Razulov has never been shy about calling out Iran's authoritarian regime, as he did in earlier movies like Manuscripts Don't Burn and There Is No Evil. What makes The Seed of the Sacred Fig so gripping, over its nearly three-hour running time, is how assuredly it blends domestic drama and topical thriller, the personal and the political.

Razulov has never been shy about calling out Iran's authoritarian regime, as he did in earlier movies like Manuscripts Don't Burn and There Is No Evil. What makes The Seed of the Sacred Fig so gripping, over its nearly three-hour running time, is how assuredly it blends domestic drama and topical thriller, the personal and the political.

Razulov has never been shy about calling out Iran's authoritarian regime, as he did in earlier movies like Manuscripts Don't Burn and There Is No Evil. What makes The Seed of the Sacred Fig so gripping, over its nearly three-hour running time, is how assuredly it blends domestic drama and topical thriller, the personal and the political.

The family home becomes a psychological war zone, where secrets fester behind closed doors, and every character has something to hide. The actors are uniformly superb. I especially liked the nuanced sibling dynamic between Masa Rostami, as the sensitive, thoughtful older sister, and Setare Maliki, as the slyer, more mischievous younger one.

The family home becomes a psychological war zone, where secrets fester behind closed doors, and every character has something to hide. The actors are uniformly superb. I especially liked the nuanced sibling dynamic between Masa Rostami, as the sensitive, thoughtful older sister, and Setare Maliki, as the slyer, more mischievous younger one.

The family home becomes a psychological war zone, where secrets fester behind closed doors, and every character has something to hide. The actors are uniformly superb. I especially liked the nuanced sibling dynamic between Masa Rostami, as the sensitive, thoughtful older sister, and Setare Maliki, as the slyer, more mischievous younger one.

Razulov's sympathies are clearly with them, and the woman-life freedom protesters. but he also extends compassion to the parents, especially Iman, who, as Rezvan courageously points out, is too entrenched in the system to see that the system is wrong. Just as the family's home is starting to feel unbearably claustrophobic, the movie shifts gears. There's a sudden change in scenery.

Razulov's sympathies are clearly with them, and the woman-life freedom protesters. but he also extends compassion to the parents, especially Iman, who, as Rezvan courageously points out, is too entrenched in the system to see that the system is wrong. Just as the family's home is starting to feel unbearably claustrophobic, the movie shifts gears. There's a sudden change in scenery.

Razulov's sympathies are clearly with them, and the woman-life freedom protesters. but he also extends compassion to the parents, especially Iman, who, as Rezvan courageously points out, is too entrenched in the system to see that the system is wrong. Just as the family's home is starting to feel unbearably claustrophobic, the movie shifts gears. There's a sudden change in scenery.

And after the slow-simmering suspense of the first half, Razulov pushes the drama into full-blown action movie territory. There's a high-speed car chase, an on-camera interrogation, and finally a tense climax that suggests a showdown out of a classic western.

And after the slow-simmering suspense of the first half, Razulov pushes the drama into full-blown action movie territory. There's a high-speed car chase, an on-camera interrogation, and finally a tense climax that suggests a showdown out of a classic western.

And after the slow-simmering suspense of the first half, Razulov pushes the drama into full-blown action movie territory. There's a high-speed car chase, an on-camera interrogation, and finally a tense climax that suggests a showdown out of a classic western.

It's a bold stroke, and while not everyone will make the leap, I appreciate Razulov's willingness to flex his genre muscles in service of a larger point. The family in this story isn't just a family. It's a kind of microcosm of middle-class Iranian society, with deep rifts between people across genders and generations.

It's a bold stroke, and while not everyone will make the leap, I appreciate Razulov's willingness to flex his genre muscles in service of a larger point. The family in this story isn't just a family. It's a kind of microcosm of middle-class Iranian society, with deep rifts between people across genders and generations.

It's a bold stroke, and while not everyone will make the leap, I appreciate Razulov's willingness to flex his genre muscles in service of a larger point. The family in this story isn't just a family. It's a kind of microcosm of middle-class Iranian society, with deep rifts between people across genders and generations.

Meaningful change may be possible, Razulov seems to be saying, but it will be inevitably painful and violent. It's a bleak conclusion, but it's also suffused with a deep sense of mourning. Mohammad Razulov may have left Iran, but not once during this stunning movie is his love for his country ever in doubt.

Meaningful change may be possible, Razulov seems to be saying, but it will be inevitably painful and violent. It's a bleak conclusion, but it's also suffused with a deep sense of mourning. Mohammad Razulov may have left Iran, but not once during this stunning movie is his love for his country ever in doubt.

Meaningful change may be possible, Razulov seems to be saying, but it will be inevitably painful and violent. It's a bleak conclusion, but it's also suffused with a deep sense of mourning. Mohammad Razulov may have left Iran, but not once during this stunning movie is his love for his country ever in doubt.

Nobody does forbidden longing in far-off places quite like Luca Guadagnino. He whisked us off to Italy for the passionate affairs of I Am Love and Call Me By Your Name, gave us love and death on a Sicilian island in a bigger splash, and took us all across America in the cannibal romance Bones and All.