A Hero is one of those movies that gets more and more interesting the longer it goes on, and also makes you think, really think, about our morals.
What first intrigued me with A Hero was other critics describing it as a drama that plays out like a thriller. While I enjoy a drama now and again, my heart lies with thrillers. There is no better feeling than being on the edge of your seat throughout a film or show, trying to put the pieces together. A Hero does have some thriller aspects to it, but it wasn’t exactly that I was expecting. That said, I became more and more intrigued as it went on, determined to unwind the mysteries before the answers were revealed.
This movie is the story of a man named Rahim who ends up with a bag full of gold while on leave from prison. The reason he is in jail is because he could not pay a debt — but is this find a godsend or a curse? He quickly realizes that he cannot keep the money for himself, and tries to find the rightful owner. What happens next is a lot of twists and turns as viewers try to determine if the main character is telling the truth, or swindling everyone, including those watching.
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At first the main character is very likeable, but when the situation starts to evolve, and we see him unravel, he is a lot harder to root for. Yet, somehow, a voice in the back of our minds does so. The dramatic elements of A Hero overshadow the thrilling ones, which is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, this is a drama.
Audiences will be left reconsidering their thoughts about what is right and wrong, and just how far is too far. Rahim, of course, just wants to live his life and as we see early on, he made the decision to go back to jail instead of use the money to buy his way out. However, the more that we learn, the more it feels like this could have been a game of chess to him, plotting certain moves so as to win the favors of others.
In an effort to avoid spoilers, I will not get into much more detail that that. A Hero makes viewers wonder about that word, hero. What does it mean? What sort of things must one do or accomplish to be considered a hero? And at the same time, what makes someone a villain. This film has a lot of characters who ride that blurred gray line between black and white, which is what makes it so intriguing.
In the end, I wasn’t sure what to think of Rahim or his actions — which I feel is going to be the majority of responses to A Hero.
Rating: 3 out of 5
About A Hero
Rahim (Amir Jadidi) is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor (Mohsen Tanabandeh) to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don’t go as planned…
Written and Directed by Asghar Farhadi.
Starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Fereshteh Sadrorafaii, Sahar Goldoust, Maryam Shahdaie, Sarina Farhadi, and Saleh Karimai.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.