The Stoning of Soraya M.: An Unflinching Look at the Unconscionable
A courageous film — based on a true story — unveils a brutal Islamic custom still practiced in Iran and elsewhere.
The townsfolk aren’t the black and white lot one might fear from a film of this nature. Even the man responsible for overseeing the stoning does so from a deeply conflicted place.
The film’s unabashed villain is Ali — the story’s depiction of him is almost totally inhuman. He might as well twist his moustache and cackle toward the heavens with glee as his hateful plot falls into place.
The performances are more or less solid throughout Stoning, with Aghdashloo being a remarkable exception. She’s flat-out terrific as Zoraya’s closest friend and protector, a feminist in the truest sense of the word.
It’s likely the film’s creators will defend the extended stoning sequence — it’s meant to convey the full brutality of the event. But even taking that into account doesn’t justify its length. If audiences don’t grasp the horror of what they’re witnessing during the first ten minutes, then nothing will illuminate them after that.
Just the sight of young children picking up stones for the execution is horrifying enough.
The movie’s final scenes succumb to some unnecessary Hollywood theatrics, but the small, humane touches spread through the rest of the movie more than make up for the excess. Before the stoning begins, the mullah in charge of the process is seen trimming his beard in a gross display of misplaced egotism. Earlier in the movie, the death of a kindly village woman sets in motion a wave of visitors to her home, each eager to pilfer what they can from her belongings.
Film critics are mostly embracing Nowrasteh’s approach to the challenging material. But not everyone thinks it’s wise to remind audiences that such atrocities exist in the Muslim world. Film critic Cole Smithey faulted the director for not blaming the West at some point in the narrative:
But there is something condescending and judgmental in the filmmaker’s subtext that seems to exonerate Western culture as somehow less complicit in the atrocious murders that it commits against innocent and guilty citizens alike.
Nowrasteh remains one of Hollywood’s more reliable envelope pushers, although in a perfect world revealing the atrocities depicted here wouldn’t be such a courageous act.
His Path to 9/11 shook a former president from his slumber. Bill Clinton rallied an entire broadcast network against releasing the film on DVD.
Nowrasteh’s Stoning dares to call into question a barbaric act defended by some Muslims … and doesn’t separate the act from their faith. It takes a village to stone an innocent.
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Christian Toto is a freelance writer and film critic for The Washington Times. His work has appeared in People magazine, MovieMaker Magazine, The Denver Post, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Scripps Howard News Service. He also contributes movie radio commentary to three stations as well as the nationally syndicated Dennis Miller Show and runs the blog What Would Toto Watch?
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17 Comments
1. "progressive"watch:The Nowrastehs will learn more about stoning. They themselves will be stoned. The left,expecially the former msm,is very good at stoning.
Jun 26, 2009 - 10:53 am 2. Leatherneck:Another example of Islam. Remember folks, it is the evil Christians you have to watch out for.
ROPMA!
Jun 26, 2009 - 1:26 pm 3. x-wife of iranian muslim:I was deeply moved by this movie and I think all American women should see this. I was married to and Iranian and although he could certainly never have treated me this way in my own country, I have no doubt he would have in his. I experience his complete contempt for women and extreme verbal abuse for 8 long years. I have studied middle eastern culture and Islam and it is brutal for women.
Jun 26, 2009 - 9:57 pm 4. lefroy:I blame Bush.
Jun 26, 2009 - 10:02 pm 5. Increase Mather:The critics of the New York Times and Washington Post have spoken: they both hate it.
Anybody surprised?
Jun 27, 2009 - 11:45 am 6. Jan:Just saw the movie, and it leaves one bewildered at the brutality still existing in this world.
We are indeed bubble-packed in the US, which is why we so easily succumb to our freedoms being taken away, stone by stone. When one sees this movie, though, you first want to scream with indignation, and then immediately clutch and fight for the rights and freedoms we still have. Don’t take them for granted any more!
Jun 27, 2009 - 7:50 pm 7. Torqued Marine (USMC):4. lefroy:
“I blame Bush.”
Of course you blame Bush. Even though this kind of thing has been going on since before any of us was born. That includes our parents and grandparents.
Those of us that were around for it remember how put these murdering bastards in power over there in Iran, Jimmy Carter.
Then it took a real Cowboy by the name of Reagan to free our guys over there, and get it some what under control.
But, you go ahead blame Bush, aw h#$l blame the entire Bush family. It just gives them power over things that even your precious Messiah obam-bam doesn’t even have.
Semper Fi.
Jun 27, 2009 - 10:09 pm 8. Oscar the Grump:Let’s all embrace Islam the religion of love and peace.
Jun 27, 2009 - 10:12 pm 9. lefroy:#7
Hey, relax! It was a joke . . .
Jun 28, 2009 - 2:58 am 10. Pickles:Conveniently, Iran announced last week that it would cease practices such as stoning. If I can find the link again, I will post it. My guess – it will also come with a convenient expiration date.
Jun 29, 2009 - 5:16 am 11. too stunned to speak:I saw this powerful and compelling movie with a group that included a hyper-partisan, leftist friend with awful and persistent BDS. She knew that I was dissatisfied with Obama voting present for 11 days before finally condemning the post election brutality in Iran. We came out of the theatre and her first words were to scoff at the US ‘agenda’ to spread democracy in an area of the world that is ruled by men who think like the mayor, the husband, etc. I was stunned. How do you respond to that!? It felt like I had taken one last stone aimed at the heart of Iranian protesters, especially the women, and women everywhere who cry out in desperation for basic human rights and freedom.
Jun 29, 2009 - 8:05 am 12. jodetoad:It is very sad. I find it more and more difficult to remain friends with some extreme libs. I dare not bring up certain topics, if I value the relationship. It seems unlikely that friendships can endure this way.
My cousin called his mother and my mother (his aunt) “racist bigots” when they accidentally emailed him something about illegal immigration. He was willing to hurt two elderly women who love him over this.
This polarization is tearing us apart. But I see reality one way, libs see it another way. It seems pointless to pretend.
Jun 29, 2009 - 10:27 am 13. Alinakd:This film is unforgettable, even though at times it was hard to watch. The reality behind the story which was so brilliantly portrayed brings about emotions of deep sorrow for those who must endure not only this type of extreme abuse, but domestic violence in any form.
Jul 7, 2009 - 12:46 pm 14. wittnessing101:This film is brilliant. What shocked me the most from a simply film standpoint is how the director was able to make a film both thrilling and engaging in which the audience does for the most part know the ending. And the message really speaks for itself. I walked out of seeing that movie hardly able to speak.
Jul 8, 2009 - 6:32 am 15. Tiffany:After seeing this film, I can promise you it is an important one for everyone to watch. It brings up an important message of human value and tells a brutal but very real story about a woman caught up in the unjust laws of her country. I hope everyone sees this film and realizes we must all come together as one and do something about this injustice!
Jul 8, 2009 - 12:04 pm 16. dr. bill:Tiffany I agree that it’s an important film and I think that everyone should HAVE to watch it. But at the same time I can’t in good conscience recommend it to people, because it was so horribly disturbing to me. I think that the lenghty and graphic and hollywood/Pecknpah-ish portrayal of the actual stoning was a bit much, so much so that for most people it will just trigger their denial and they’ll quickly forget it. I think the director could have made his point more effectively with less. Or perhaps more Hitchcockian – the violence more suggested than focused on directly. At any rate, definitely an important story to be told – I hope enough people listen.
Jul 10, 2009 - 10:32 pm 17. Royce:This movie is the best film I’ve seen all year. It has terrific acting, unique themes and powerful messages. I highly recommend it for anyone and everyone. A definitive must-see.
Jul 30, 2009 - 3:45 pm