As I sat down with my requisite Coke to watch this film, I asked
myself,"Don't you have anything better to do? Are you a loser?" I answered
no and maybe! As I left the theatre, I said to myself,"Should I start
saving to buy a house? Is anyone going to believe me about how good
this movie is?" I answered no and maybe! Vadim Perelman has taken a
best-selling novel from Andre Dubus III and directed a superior cast into
a movie nothing short of excellent! The initial plot sounds about as
interesting as standing in line at the Post Office. An Iranian
immigrant family and recovering drug addict struggle for the ownership of a
small home in Pacifica. Sounds almost too realistic to be
entertaining...on the surface. "The House of Sand and Fog" has a plethora of intense
layers that bring to mind thoughts that did not exist for me prior to
seeing this movie. Is home really where you hang your hat or is it more
than that? When can an immigrant who adheres to all the legalities
symbolicly feel American? Am I my own worst enemy or is there an
institutional beuracratic struggle to endure? What is our legacy worth? What
is truly important? Certainly, never will I be considered or referred
to as high brow, so let's establish this movie as more of an emotional
drama that tugs and pulls from the first to last moment. And with Ben
Kingsley ("Gandhi"), Jennifer Connely ("Requiem for a Dream" "A
Beautiful Mind") and Ron Eldard ("Black Hawk Down" "Sleepers") you can't be
too suprised. Perelman blends subtlety with ferocity and keeps you
involved inspite of grueling nature of this film. The principals are
complex, too complex to be inherently good or evil. Just human. Just enjoy
the seasoned veterans who flex their acting muscles and take special
notice of some fresh faces that include Shohreh Agdashloo as the tough
but obedient Iranian wife and the diligent son played by Jonathan Ahdout.
All are superb! As a fan of cinema I am always begging for more themes
of humanity with interesting stories and scripts. "The House of Sand
and Fog" delivers! I'll leave you with one of many compelling lines
from the film....Jennifer Connely speaking to Ron Eldard about the house
in contention, which was left to her by her late father. "My father
worked for 30 years for that house and I lost it in 8 months."
Rating-A naked Selma Hayek (Pat Connor)
Rating: A naked Selma Hayek
Would've been a naked Eva Mendes if not for the fact that Jennifer
Connely got naked without reprising her "ass to ass" role!