“Like A Fish on the Moon”
Review by David House
………….This Iranian family drama is the first feature film from up and coming filmmaker Dornaz Hajiha. Here she presents us with the simple scenario of a middle class family with a young son, Ilya, who has stopped talking, suddenly, and apparently for no reason. Their normal life is now completely focused on this issue. They take Ilya to doctors and therapists trying to figure out how to resolve this situation. Both the mother, Haleh, and the father, Amir, work, but Haleh is most involved with the care of their son, perhaps hovering excessively over his every move. One therapist suggests that the parents reverse roles and have Amir become the prime caregiver, dressing, bathing and helping him with his homework. This change in the family routine has unforeseen effects on the dynamics of the couples relationship, and the happy home becomes less so as they start to drift apart; one problem becoming a series of problems.
……..There are other characters in the film but it is mainly a three hander, and the three fine performances are the strength of the film, especially child actor Ali Ahmadi, who has only facial expressions and his quiet gaze to move and intrigue us. This is not a ‘busy’ film, in fact it is quite slow ‘arthouse’ fare that won’t hold much appeal for a general audience, even with its’ compact 78 minute runtime Although it could perhaps have explored the problems and solutions presented more deeply, it is a well made, simple look at the tensions parenting can bring to a couples relationship.
