Customer Reviews

The Song Of Sparrows

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Song of Sparrows" is an un-subtle but endearing morality tale by director and co-writer Majid Majidi. Karim (Reza Maji) is a family man who works on an ostrich farm to support his wife and three children. His eldest daughter's hearing aid is damaged with school exams just weeks away. With the expense of replacing it already weighing heavily him, Karim loses his job. Still determined to do something about the hearing aid, Karim makes the trip to Tehran, where he is mistaken for a motorcycle taxi. The money in this new-found occupation appeals to him, and Karim returns to Tehran every day to earn more. But his wife Narges (Maryam Akbari) and children see an unwelcome change in Karim's values and disposition.

Iranian cinema has a way of capturing earnestness in imperfect people that no other culture does so successfully. "The Song of Sparrows" is no exception. Karim so wants to improve conditions for his family and provide for them once again that he loses perspective. We can't help but sympathize and feel for his small triumphs and those of his young son, whose dream of turning an old water storage into a fish farm parallel his father's ambitions. There is a good deal of humor too, as the director pokes fun a the harried businessmen who are Karim's passengers. I found the condemnation of materialism heavy-handed, however, in a film that otherwise has a light touch. In Farsi with optional English subtitles. No bonus features on the E1 Entertainment 2010 DVD.

Majid Majidi has directed another exquisite film that will please his fans and appeal to those who enjoy films that tell a simple, but meaningful story in a pristine fashion. In SONG OF SPARROWS the visual images are much more revealing of the underlying story than the dialogue is, in my opinion. Karim, played adeptly by Reza Naji, is an irascible patriarch whose ill fortune as a farm hand changes virtually by chance when he travels to the capital city of Tehran on his motorbike. As his good fortune brings more material objects to his simple country home, his troubles continue to plague him until fate literally comes crashing down on him and awakens him to the more important, simple pleasures of life. This movie will appeal especially to families, foreign film fans, and those enjoy cinematic art movies.

This is the story of Karim, the rural Iranian father of a deaf teen-aged daughter and two younger children. When, at the same time, he loses his job on an Ostrich ranch and his daughter loses her hearing aid right before important school exams, he heads to Tehran on his motorbike to look for work. By accident, he becomes a motorbike taxi driver and begins to make more money than he ever dreamed of. But he also begins to change as his desire for things and his ethics collide. Having promised his wife that the first priority would be to replace their daughter's hearing aid, he finds himself tempted by the material life he now has access to. Several heart breaking incidents cause him to examine what he has become. While the story/parable may be familiar, what is special is the way Majidi presents it. The dialogue is minimal letting the non-verbal actions of the characters speak for themselves as well as the great cinematography. Unlike many (not all)American films, it does not insult your intelligence with shallow dialogue and unnecessary action. Majidi really develops the characters into believable human beings. Reza Naji is great as Karim and the children in the film are so delightful and photogenic. And if you enjoy learning about and experiencing other cultures, it is a great window into Iranian culture, in this case, both rural and urban. With most of us only getting the sound bites about Iran we hear on radio or TV, this will give an insight into the real people and culture.

Majid Majidi is one of a kind director. I've seen many movies from him, most of them have somewhat been sad or with a feeling of longing, yet I'm always compelled to see a new movie from this Iranian master of the films.

A song of sparrows is not sad, gladly, but sweet like honey, it's a movie to watch with all the family with an expectancy all over the film, for something better to happen. After all, that's the way we think in life, we expect something better always.

The actors are so realistic you think you're seeing a documentary of lives in a foreign culture. It's amazing what kids at a very young age can convey in a movie. I'm always enchanted by Majid Majidi so what can I tell you, I fully recommend this film to be seen by many of all ages. A trully masterpiece.

This Iranian movie offers insight into Iranian Culture. We have watched this movie along with half a dozen others from Iran in preparation for traveling to Iran later this month. Each movie seems to focus on some aspect of the culture - a a social issue of the culture. Such movies offer us an opportunity to learn more about the country beyond the mostly negative take on Iran that is projected by the US news media. I believe that you can get a list of the some of the movies that are available from Iran by doing a search on Amazon. They have others available.

I rented "The Song of Sparrows" because, frankly, I was interested in seeing an Iranian movie. Having watched it, I acknowledge that there are a number of interesting scenes in this film. The problem I have with "The Song of Sparrows" is that it has several story lines that it leaves unresolved. There was some continuity in these story lines which is why I was anticipating a closure of some sort. Instead I was left wondering what I should think about "The Song of Sparrows". There are movies that intentially leave the conclusions up to the viewer and that CAN work when properly handled. However, there was nothing that signifigant in "Sparrows". It was more like an idle curiosity that left me wanting a little bit more.

My guess is that the kids were the "sparrows" and their song was sung. The pursuit of the nearly impossible stood as a comparison to the hope of the realistic possibility. There's just a lack of coherence and cohesion in "Sparrows". That aside, this is a movie worth watching. I note that every other reviewer thus far has rated it higher than I have. Better check their reviews out as well. I guess it it were an option I'd give it 3.5 stars.

This Iranian director, Majid Majidi, must be greatly talented to have created this masterpiece that subtle and
so compelling. It tells about a poor man's brief
odyssey (to get his daughter's broken hearing aid fixed) from his humble village to the capital, Teheran, where he confronts and falls prey to the city's materialism. It's
a spiritual journey, if you will, with the poignant realization in the end that the material things of this world are all but worthless junk that can plunge you to destruction and misery eventually.

Having just finished this, I am feeling frustrated. The ending was not clear at all, and so many story lines were left unfinished! For example, did he go back to Tehran? What about the job he was offered? What was the gift left him at the end? And just what the heck was that ending all about?! I've watched a few others from this same director but this one was just ok because it didn't tidy up many things it should have.

We were unable to get subtitles to work, and I don't speak Farsi, so not the most satisfying movie I've seen this year. I loved his other work.

What I saw was a VCD that I purchased in Teheran. So there wasn't an English subtitle but just a Persian language. Though I couldn't understand what they talked, I could almost trace the plot. What I saw in the movie was the same with what I experienced in Teheran and other cities. They are people with naive mentality. This is a kind of movie that Hollywood is not able to create.