The film is such a lifeless drone that we experience it only as a movie.
Taste of Cherry (1997)
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Reviews Counted:27
Fresh:22
Rotten:5
Average Rating:7.1/10
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: Emerging out of an Iranian cinema renaissance, TASTE OF CHERRY is seen by many as its crowning achievement. The story of somber yet intense Mr. Badii and his journey through Tehran, the film... Emerging out of an Iranian cinema renaissance, TASTE OF CHERRY is seen by many as its crowning achievement. The story of somber yet intense Mr. Badii and his journey through Tehran, the film emerges as a sort of spiritual road movie. Intent on finding an aid for his planned suicide, Badii encounters citizens from every walk of life; a trash collector, a soldier, and a seminarian, all of whom refuse to help him, either out of a sense of religion or personal morality. Seen from the car, the dusty landscape and sumptuous golden dusk light of Tehran play a central role in the film, penetrating every scene. Finally a jocular taxidermist agrees to help, all the while trying to sell Badii on the quotidian joys of nature and everyday life. The meandering pace of the film gently unfurls in a series of encounters and dialogues that form its core, revealing the character not only of Badii, but also of Iranians and humans in general. [More]
Starring: Homayon Ershadi, Abdolhossein Bagheri, Afshin Bakhtiari, Ali Moradi
Starring: Homayon Ershadi, Abdolhossein Bagheri, Afshin Bakhtiari, Ali Moradi, Hossein Noori, Ahmad Ansari, Hamid Massomi, Elham Imani
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Screenwriter: Abbas Kiarostami
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Reviews for Taste of Cherry
While it's interminably slow and I still haven't quite figured out why they went with the copout ending, I can't say it's not an interesting film.
The lack of information about the central character, which results in a distinct absence of emotional connection, leaves us cold to his fate.
Simplicity often leads to profundity, but A Taste of Cherry (especially the ending) represents lazy cinema that has been overrated by too many.
For fear of revealing myself as a wanting intellectual, I found myself in a state of 'huh?' watching the conclusion to the lethargically-presented A Taste Of Cherry.
That Kiarostami keeps us guessing and caring to the very end as to how Mr. Badii will answer these questions, and that he accomplishes this concern on our parts with a startling spareness, is nothing less than Divine.
I know from my past experiences with great filmmakers, that sometimes I don't like what I see from them the first time and later on change my mind...
Although Ershadi's performance gives a clear sense of Badii's anguish, the screenplay does not give the character enough personal details to make him compelling.
Kiarostami is in no rush, but the respect and love he shows for his characters, and the confidence and simplicity of his technique, make Taste of Cherry a satisfying experience.
Both purely human and ultimately humane, it's an elegant parable about a man who wants his death and his burial too.
Each of the men seems to represent a different position on the subject -- even though their beliefs are never portrayed in a heavy-handed or less than sympathetic manner.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
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