Crimson Gold

A somewhat uneven film noir from the creative team behind White Balloon. Well-executed in places, and an interesting study of the psychology of small humiliations, the film may be too specific to its milieu. It stars the famous Hossain Emadeddin (best known for his work in Crimson Gold!) as a pizza- delivery man in modern Tehran. The film is full of surprises, like, who knew they had pizza-delivery men in Tehran? It’s also full of cultural references which are pretty specific to Iran and which don’t always translate well. Essentially, the story tries to show how Hossain’s social status and the fact that he lives in a religious oligarchy (something Americans seem to be increasingly familiar with) combine to bring about his ruin. The personal and political stories don’t always mesh, but the basics of the noir plot are in place and the camera work is thoughtful enough to carry you through the slow parts.