Helluva premier. Spread out over 200, maybe 250 theaters across the country. "Rosewater" tells the story of Maziar Bahari, an Iranian working for Newsweek who was arrested in Iran while covering the 2009 elections. The premiere was followed by a discussion featuring Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, who were then joined by Bahari.
Gael García Bernal plays Bahari. His work astonishes in scenes with Kim Bodnia as the "Specialist"/interrogator/torturer. The guy's a natural imp, a quicksilver fugitive from the Mexican Djinnistan. Sure thing, as Bahari he's the target of psychological torture and to a lesser extent to physical beatings. What he brings to the game is rapid shifts between fear, memories from his normal life, and doing everything he can to struggle against the torturer's mind games.
The story is also out in Maziar Bahari's book, "And Then They Came For Me."
Of course, see the movie if you can find it. "A+" script and simply unique outside-the-box acting for a mainstream American film.
"Rosewater" refers to the bottled scent the torturer uses to mask the stench from the floods of human stress sweat in Evin prison. He sprays himself twice before each torture session.
I'd thought this was certain to be the year for Benedict Cumberbatch to reel in his first Oscar, playing Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game." That story line presents unique challenges and Cumberbatch, with his Harrow upbringing and expansive intellect carries it all home.
Garcia is going to give Cumberbatch real competition for the acting awards.
One thing, one tiny shortcoming, is that you had to be there for the after-premiere talk to get the historical structure for what is done to Iranian prisoners. Close as I can remember, Bahari clarifies thus, roughly paraphrased:
"Physical torture has its limits. After some point the prisoner breaks and begins lying, or he reaches a point where nothing more can be done to him. This psychological torture was invented by the Brits in the 1960s with I.R.A. prisoners in Ireland. Then the Americans and Israelis developed the techniques further in the 1970s. With psychological torture, this modern system, there is no limit. It can be taken to any depth, used to destroy the victims."In part, Hillary Clinton saved Bahari by making his arrest one more international embarrassment for the Iranian government.
Bahari experienced 116 days of harsh psychological torture. 107 days in solitary confinement.
Yet in every minute of this film, there is humor. Grace peaks through.
All in all, to the extent that you open yourself to Garcia's character, his version of Bahari, this film can be a small miracle. "Change one mind" is the stated objective for the film.
More from the after-premiere discussion: Bahari also said that the torturer and his boss took him out to a restaurant after his release "for a coffee" and threatened him. If he told anyone about what happened, they would have him kidnapped and taken back to Iran in a bag. Apparently a body bag. So he responded by deciding then and there to write the story for Newsweek "on the fxcking flight home!"
I do intent to mail copies on DVD to the Supreme Leader Ali Kamenei and to the head of Quds/Jerusalem Force, adding Persian subtitles. I will add notes: "For you and for your Soul." Might as well try for the big miracle.... Why not?
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Thanks for the RECOMMEND tag.
All together the three of them -- Colbert, Stewart, Bahari -- made mincemeat of New Jersey, which still ain't as bad as Iran. It's not just the sex shops in Ft. Lee. Whatduya like from your dictators: traffic jams at the GW Bridge or torture?
Not saying that NJ's "Duce the Toad" Christie wouldn't torture enemies/Jim Keady/me if he could get away with it.