TIFF 2021: A Hero 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.

Doing the right thing is a value instilled in many of us at a young age and have since tried to carry into our adult years but little do we know that doing the right thing isn’t always as simple as it sounds to say the least. Transcending race and culture, it is still interesting to see how these common themes translates from culture to culture. A Hero is a foreign language film that already won’t be for everyone because it is another language (this case Persian) but its universal themes are sure to resonate with countless viewers. Perhaps the film may be a touch too long, clocking in at over the 2 hour mark, but this compelling thriller masquerading as a part character and community study works for the most part thanks to some sensational performances led by a heartbreaking Amir Jadidi.

A Hero tells the story of Rahim (Jadidi), a principled man sent to prison for a debt he was unable to pay. However while on leave, he tried to convince his creditor to forgive part of his debt after coming across a missing handbag containing gold coins but things did not necessarily go according to plan from there, resulting in a rollercoaster chain of events that took Rahim, his family, and the surrounding community on an intense ride. Weighing his obligations against the wanting to do the right thing, Rahim would be tested as the outcome was certainly not what he expected as it ignited a firestorm across his community for which he and his family may not escape.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against him, one can’t help but feel for Rahim and want him to get through his situation. He’s an easy character to root for and invest in emotionally which is a testament to the writing but also Jadidi’s sensational performance. He pulls viewers into Rahim’s pain and frustration as well as his desperation through a nuanced performance full of emotional depth and relatability. Suffice it to say that the film would not have worked nearly as well if not for him.

In the end, A Hero may not be the hero we want but it’s the hero we need.

still courtesy of TIFF

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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.