Chicken with Plums (2011)

I kept watching this film. Waiting for our hero to be redeemed . Much to my disappointment , that never happened . What a waste of film . a heroine , too weak for true love , and a hero who won't accept the love of his wife and children. I feel tainted having invested time in watching. Boo! I had hoped to find a story of romantic love ,not an excuse for crappy husbands and fathers ! I felt NO sympathy for out "hero". I wished for him ,more ill than befell him. A cowardly heroine , and a nasty , distant "hero"? Thank you, I'll pass. How Roger Ebert gave this a favorable review must have something to do with karmic debt , or some other misguided impulse, but I can't get on board. For anyone expecting a sweet, redemptive "Chocolat " type experience , look elsewhere. You won't find it here .

Other reviews cause me to cry out in protest as I found "Chicken with Plums" captivating in a way few films have touched me. I would urge anyone reading these words to seek it out for themselves (I found it on "starz" and hope they will continue to show it).The storytelling is tantalizingly deliberate; one might even say that the early sequences are almost misleading their matter-of-fact tone. But the artistic team - and a martini-dry performance by Mathieu Amalric as our harried hero - continue unwrapping the narrative in a startlingly casual fashion, the tale becomes richer and more daring with every turn.Persian tales begin, "There was someone, there was no one." See for yourself whether you find Nasser Ali someone to remember in this artful Persian story.

A live action film from the directors of Persepolis. Like Persepolis, it's based on a graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi. It's nice to see that Satrapi and Paronnaud have some cinematic legs. This is wonderful. Very, very sad, but also utterly gorgeous. Mathieu Amalric stars as an Iranian violinist who gets in an argument with his wife (Pulp Fiction's Maria de Madeiros), who then breaks his prized violin. Unhappy with his life, Amalric decides to die and retreats to his bed. Over the next seven days, his life story plays out before his eyes. The exquisite visuals will certainly impress viewers, but it seems like the depth of the story gets lost on many. It is, simply, a story about the missed opportunities in life and how they haunt us. The beauty of the visuals gives it a kind of magic, but, in the end, this is a very tragic story that will resonate with many.

This is a brilliant film composed of wit, romance and all the art and style that makes film enjoyable. With set pieces, animation and fabulous actors the directors have created a unique and memorable fable. The visuals are magical and some satirical, all dressed in a vision of charm and enveloped with the romance of music. Romance and Art are at the core of this film, it speaks of the soul of an artist and true love. Set in old Terhran the story is told with culture and warmth. It is an inspiration laced with humor, charm, beauty and at last love. This tale is universal and will touch more than one heart. "Chicken with Plums" is the best I've seen this year and a must see if you love film.