The Salesman (Asghar Farhadi, 2016): Iran | France

Reviewed by Hanna Olsson. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2017.

The Salesman captures a broken relationship that goes through trials and tribulations. Broken represents many aspects of their lives from beginning to end. The movie starts off with their home crashing down and everyone rushing to evacuate. This is just the start of destruction in their lives. Both Emad and Rana are both actors in the play “The Death of a Salesman” at a local theatre. After having the evacuate their home, a fellow actor introduces them to a new apartment, which they later realize the preexisting tenant was a prostitute who had men come over. One day, Rana is ringed up for opening the gate to the apartment expecting it to be Emad coming home, so she leaves the door open and heads into the shower. Unexpectedly, Rana receives and unwelcome guest who sexually assaults her. This assault leads Rana traumatized and uncomfortable in her new home. Emad comes home to find a track of blood leading to his apartment and rushes to find Rana. Emad becomes angry and broken for his wife, and seeks revenge on the man who has done this to her. Rana constantly reminds him how uncomfortable and fearful she is in the house, yet Emad does not know what to do about it. Even though he suggests ideas and tries to be there for her, nothing is good enough for Rana, which creates a gap and tension in their relationship. Emad wants revenge on this man for himself and for Rana, but Rana insists that he does not do anything about it. Despite what she says, Emad takes initiative to find this man and give him what he deserves. Emad takes on the task to find him and is shocked to find it is an older man. Emad holds this man hostage to have him confess to his family and wife what he has done and to break his family just like he has done to his. Emad brings Rana into the situation and as much as she is hurt from the situation and feels betrayed, she tells Emad if he goes through with it, then their relationship will be over. Emad feels torn with the decision as he justs want to feel justified. The situation soon takes a turn when the old man starts to have health problems and his family rushes to his side and are so scared of losing him. Seeing this mans family and knowing Rana’s decision, Emad decides not to go through with it. However, as the old man heads down the stairs, he breaks down from his health problems and soon dies. This leaves the old mans family broken along with Rana and Emad feeling broken. Even after the attackers death, there is no redemption in their lives, and Rana’s self dignity is still broken. There seems to be nothing that can mend their relationship or feel at home with each other. The director really shows the drastic effects of sexual assault and the leaving damage it has on people along with their relationships. The movie begins and ends in the same apartment. First, the apartment was broken, and now is their relationship. They may be able to find a new home, but they may not be able to mend what is broken between them.