A Separation

I literally just finished watching this as I type this review so my head's still a bit all over the place about it. But holy fuck what a film. Essentially a slow and dreadful descent into a series of tragedies which directly affect all the central characters. It reveals that everyone is at fault within complex situations such as the one taking place over the course of this drama. Everyone involved has their own story that goes along with their actions; their own reasoning for why each interaction is so aggressive and downright brutal. When I started the film I thought it would be similar to films like Marriage Story or Blue Valentine (although the latter of which I have yet to see). Instead, the plot morphs into something completely unexpected and yet does so with such simplicity, slightly similar to that of Parasite (2019). Although realistic, this film has as much twists and turns as your typical superhero or horror movie and does so while maintaining a sense of passion and care to the craft of its storytelling and cinema. This film is agonizing, beautiful, and heartbreaking in both the worst and best possible ways, if that makes sense at all. By the end you are left feeling quite empty inside and wondering what will happen to these characters. I can understand why it receives the hype it so clearly deserves, so I highly recommend you watch this cinematic work of art for yourself, I promise you won’t regret it. That is of course if it doesn't make you extremely depressed by the end. 5/5