TIFF 2025: It Was Just An Accident Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Another highlight from this year’s Cannes Film Festival was the winner of the Palme d’Or, It Was Just An Accident. From writer-director Jafar Panahi, this Iranian dark dramedy that, on paper, may come off as another comedy based on a snowball of misunderstandings, but it is so much more. Above all else, the sheer level of humanity on display here makes the lens which it uses to tackle such heavy themes as trauma, revenge, the moral grey area in between right and wrong, that much more compelling to watch. This story about everyday people faced with extraordinary circumstances while living under the weight of an oppressive regime. Though it may be a surprisingly hilarious film, its subject matter is no laughing matter, as a group of individuals connected by trauma are suddenly faced with who may be the one responsible for their collective pain. That being said, not everyone processes pain and trauma the same way as the wanting for revenge is just as likely as the wanting to simply move on. However, we are all human so it is hard to say how one would react in the moment. The deft touch coming from Panahi’s script and direction in maintaining thar humanity is ultimately what pushes the film over the top in the best way possible.

It Was Just An Accident starts off with exactly that, but that moment is nearly the beginning of a cascading series of events that would grow increasingly dire as an accident brings a man to Vahid (Mobasseri), one who he believed had attacked him years prior. From there, he enlisted the help of other survivors to confirm the identity of his captive (Azizi) as Eghbal, otherwise known as ‘Peg Leg’ on the count of his prosthetic leg. Watching the two drive around town, the tension from Vahid being faced with his would be attacker and the not knowing the identity of his captive result in an unnerving mix. Over the course of the film, as more survivors are added to the mix, their added pain and rage gave the setting of Vahid’s van a claustrophobic feel. Perhaps spinning its wheels a little as debate among the survivors raged on about what to do with their captive, the film is at its best when it dives into that debate with the kind of authenticity that makes it harder. The clashing points of view and experiences coming from the survivors brought their fair share of intensity, however, Panahi finds a way to lighten things up with some hilarious dark humor.

Keeping up with the back-and-forth between the characters, the camerawork captures it all effectively. The endless debates and clashing are followed by an impactful payoff, as the third act takes the film to another level, ratcheting up the intensity as it leads to an unforgettable finish. Aside from the strong writing and direction, a great cast helps bring that vision to life thanks to their superb chemistry.

In the end, It Was Just An Accident is a strong human film that tackles heavy themes through an intense story that deftly balances tension with some hilarious dark comedy.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.