Title: It Was Just An Accident
MPA Rating: PG-13
Director: Jafar Panahi
Starring: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins

What It Is: When Vahid (Mobasseri), a normally mild-mannered mechanic, sees a man who looks like the prison guard who once tortured him, he feels compelled to take matters into his own hands. To be sure the man is who he thinks he is, Vahid seeks out other former prisoners who were also tortured and asks them to validate his suspicions. All the while, he has already kidnapped the man. But does he have the constitution to end a life over something he only believes to be true?

What We Think: This is a phenomenal piece of film making. Jafar Panahi is an incredibly personal director who crafts his films with a level of love and passion I wish more filmmakers would embrace. Throughout the entire runtime, you are on the edge of your seat, questioning alongside Vahid whether this man truly is who he thinks he is.

The script is also excellent. It never talks down to the audience, and it delivers one of the most satisfying examples of inconclusive writing I have seen in quite some time. Normally I would find that frustrating, but here it absolutely works. I do not want to go too far into it for fear of spoilers, so I will simply say bravo.

Our Grade: A, Many people immediately get nervous when they hear a film is not in English. I would point them to the work of Bong Joon Ho as a counterargument. Do not let that deter you from seeing what is, in my opinion, one of the best thrillers of the year.

It is rare to see a film that manages to be genuinely funny while maintaining such a serious tone. That careful balance is what makes this one of Panahi’s most impressive achievements. If this is playing near you, you absolutely owe it to yourself to see it on the big screen. It adds something wholly unique to the experience.