Incredibly beautiful film, but...
The Cow is absolutely stunning all the way through. The acting is incredible, it never drags on at any point, the camera work and direction feel very modern, and the cinematography and use of contrast are just amazing. Just look at the default poster here on Letterboxd, this level of beauty and contrast is constant throughout the film. The themes of the self, community, and mental anguish are done very well and really make you feel for Hassan. Because of these themes, especially the latter, the film is very sad in nature -- you know there will be no happy ending from the get-go.
While there are likely many more positive attributes I'm missing, I would like to add that I really couldn't think of anything wrong/bad with this film. With all that being said, I do have to say that this film wasn't for me. I can't quite put my finger on why, but something's there preventing me from adding the heart to my review. I will say that I am quite interested in checking out more Iranian cinema after this. I have heard that they do a great job at balancing art and entertainment, which I could see here.
I think this is a great film to check out if you are interested in broadening your horizons. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but I would still recommend it. I definitely see myself coming back to this film again -- I think that watching it with a more analytical eye the second time around would be a good idea.
Incredibly beautiful film, but...
The Cow is absolutely stunning all the way through. The acting is incredible, it never drags on at any point, the camera work and direction feel very modern, and the cinematography and use of contrast are just amazing. Just look at the default poster here on Letterboxd, this level of beauty and contrast is constant throughout the film. The themes of the self, community, and mental anguish are done very well and really make you feel for Hassan. Because of these themes, especially the latter, the film is very sad in nature -- you know there will be no happy ending from the get-go.
While there are likely many more positive attributes I'm missing, I would like to add that I really couldn't think of anything wrong/bad with this film. With all that being said, I do have to say that this film wasn't for me. I can't quite put my finger on why, but something's there preventing me from adding the heart to my review. I will say that I am quite interested in checking out more Iranian cinema after this. I have heard that they do a great job at balancing art and entertainment, which I could see here.
I think this is a great film to check out if you are interested in broadening your horizons. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but I would still recommend it. I definitely see myself coming back to this film again -- I think that watching it with a more analytical eye the second time around would be a good idea.
