Son Mother (2019)

Directed by: Mahnaz Mohammadi | 102 minutes | drama | Actors: Raha Khodayari, Mahan Nasiri, Reza Behbudi, Maryam Boubani, Shiva Ordooie

‘Son-Mother’ is an emblematic drama about a dilemma in the conservative Muslim country of Iran. The kind of movie that can melt westerners for its documentary dignity. This decent feature-length debut certainly has the latter, but dramatic dignity is something else. It rests in emotional credibility, a fact that is achieved in stories through correlation with the viewer’s reality.

The latter is partly achieved. Director Mohammadi offers schematic choices to a widow who has to choose between living a dignified life with a new man and relinquishing her son. Why the latter is necessary, however, is never fully explained to the viewer. In any case, Mohammadi wants to show how corrupt a society like the Iranian one is after the Islamic Revolution, both practically and emotionally.

The latter is commendable and mission accomplished, but there must be another way out for Leila (Khodayari) – a reserved woman who has the viewer’s sympathy for the dilemma; however, the relationship does not develop. Before solutions are offered, Mohammadi opts for a change of perspective. The boy in question, Amir (Nasiri), takes on a central role, leading to mixed results in both acting and sentiment.

Mohammadi responds to the viewer’s mind, a dramatic necessity, but does so rigorously, giving the film an all too schematic character. Reality is never schematic, but is changed by irreversible events. Emotional reality is equally impossible to schematize because it is different for everyone involved. Just think of the broken heart, which is sometimes necessary, but is experienced differently by everyone involved – at least two.