A Man of Integrity – Lerd (2017)

Directed by: Mohammad Rasoulof | 117 minutes | drama, thriller | Actors: Reza Akhlaghirad, Soudabeh Beizaee, Nasim Adabi, Zeinab Shabani, Missagh Zareh, Zhila Shahi, Majid Potki, Mehdi Mehraban, Sepehr Ebadi, Bagher Yekta

In ‘A Man of Integrity’, the righteous Reza tries to survive in corruption-ridden Iran. However, he comes into conflict with a company, invariably called ‘the firm’, which has a lot of power. This company wants to take over its land, and tries to bully Reza and his family away when he refuses. Reza tries to fight against this within the lines of the law. This leads to a fight that he cannot win, as the firm also has the police in its grip. Reza will therefore have to pull out all the stops to keep his head above water.

The plot of the film seems to have a clear ‘good guy, bad guy’ character. In the course of the film, however, this does not appear to be the case at all. ‘A Man of Integrity’ poses the moral questions surrounding corruption in a very interesting way. Because is it right not to cooperate in a system, at the expense of your own family? And aren’t the corrupt persons only concerned with supporting themselves and their families? What value does justice have in an unjust world? This film tackles a very nice theme, with an interesting angle.

In addition, it is very nice that the viewer is not constantly explained different relationships. This leads to a somewhat complicated, but above all active viewing experience. The film, for example, talks about different people, with an emphasis on their function. The underlying relationships must be figured out by the viewer. This keeps you captivated. However, this can be somewhat confusing at times.

The cinematography is also enjoyable at many moments. For example, Rassoulof knows how to use the water source for some beautiful mirror shots. Also, the lack of music and other sounds ensures that the viewer is sucked into the story. It provides a high degree of authenticity, which in turn has a very positive effect on the viewing experience. He does reuse a lot of shots on several occasions. For example, we find Reza several times in the same well, where he sips a watermelon drink deep in thought. These repeating shots occasionally provide a syrupy effect to the story, but they do represent the endless vicious circle that Raza finds herself in. His character development can also be linked to this, which fully justifies the choice for these images.

In general, ‘A Man of Integrity’ delivers a challenging whole. There are a number of elements that are challenging for the viewer. For the observant viewer, this is mainly positive, but it is therefore important to watch this film carefully.

The eye also wants something, and is certainly not disappointed. Rassoulof surprises with fantastic images, beautiful shots and interesting moral questions. A fascinating insight into a culture that is completely different from the Dutch in many respects. For people who want to understand the Iranian culture well, this film is an absolute must.