Ray Pride

(2006) While it takes a short while to get going, "Offside," the latest movie from Iranian director Jafar Panahi ("The White Balloon" (1995), "The Circle" (2000), "Crimson Gold" (2003)) quickly reveals subversive intelligence in the story of six young women who want to watch the World Cup qualifying match against Bahrain at Tehran's Azadi Stadium, where women are not allowed. (Azadi means "Freedom.") Panahi's half-dozen unnamed female troublemakers are cast with diverse features, and their varied, animated looks grown on you as the story progresses. You can't help but think, doesn't Iran have one of the largest young populations on Earth, part of the world's oldest sustained civilization? And these women, excluded, are a vital part of that culture. The 47-year-old director is sly, but bold with these women. He obviously loves women. Starting with a round-faced girl (Sima Mobarak Shahi) who is traditionally beautiful, a small girl with strong cheekbones, pert nose, large, almond eyes of liquid brown, Panahi thrusts her into the teeming, cryptic (to foreign eyes) crowd outside the game. The other women held for their crime are equally striking, but in ways that range from meek to tomboy to statuesque, masculine-inflected beauty. Inspired minimalism, shot verite style, drawing from the actual game and the celebration in the streets afterwards, "Offside" opposes the city girls against soldiers from rural Iran ("I felt sorry for his cattle," in context, is a line that can make you weep.) The clash is profound and insubordinate. The celebratory chant, "Viva, viva, viva Iran!" may be the most inflammatory in a movie on U.S. screens right now. "Offside," for all its beauty, generosity and intelligence, also boasts the best final shot I've seen in an Iranian movie since Mohsen Makhmahlbaf's "Afghan Alphabet," in a crowd, stopped as if in the middle of a breath. (Bearing a burden of sarcasm and hopefulness, "Offside" is banned in Iran.) 93m.

"Offside" opens Friday at the Music Box.

(2007-04-17)

Also by Ray Pride

When Trash Fails
Rancid things comprise the 191-minute spectacle, thrilling and dismaying in equal, vivid measure
(2007-04-10)

Tip of the Week
Paul Verhoeven toyed with the elements of "Black Book" for thirty years, he says, eventually working it out with his customary co-writer on Dutch projects Gerard Soeteman, and you can tell the thought that's gone into it: details chime, plot elements resonate, behavior orchestrates architecturally, in classic American studio style
(2007-04-10)

The Other Side of the Mountain
Why do we keep watching? The answer is, many people don't. Or patterns change. And the film/DVD/cable industry is always a few steps behind figuring out a fresh master plan, and everyone's concerned the film industry will go the way of the record industry: free to everyone but its creators
(2007-04-03)

Tip of the Week
"Wind" follows a pair of brothers (Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney) who join the Republicans to fight for Irish independence. Words are spoken, violence is enacted, passions are displayed with fine fire
(2007-04-03)

Blair Witch Hunt
(2007-03-27)

Tip of the Week
(2007-03-27)

The Mourning After
(2007-03-20)

Tip of the Week
(2007-03-20)

Moving Pictures
(2007-03-13)

Tip of the Week
(2007-03-13)

Tip of the Week
(2007-03-06)

Killer Looks
(2007-03-06)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment