I was prepared for a somber, somewhat arty piece. I was afraid it would be over serious and slow. Well, it is very serious. But I was impressed how the dramatic tension stemming from the two main character's inner torture was so high that scenes of conflict tended to almost literally explode off the screen. This is most noticeable in the scene when Hachemi leaves the dinner table in a rage after finding out his parents invited the man who molested him and his friend Farfat to his wedding. Less than a minute after he storms up to his room a real storm wind comes along, knocks things around, breaks glass and whisks away most of the tents and so forth that they had prepared for the wedding. This scene is also notable for the editing. A lot more cuts than I had expected. A shot of the window shattering, kids rushing in doors, birds, etc. The editing does a lot throughout the film to not only create pacing but to also add a certain poetic quality. Another explosive scene is towards the end when Hachemi and Farfat are brought by their friends to a brothel of sorts. The way this scene turns back and forth dramatically is almost dizzying. Overall a very powerful film.
Review of Man of Ashes
