Rosewater

Starring: Gael García Bernal, Kim Bodina, and Dimitri Leonidas
Directed by: Jon Stewart
Screenplay by: Jon Stewart
Based on the book "Then They Came for Me: A Family's Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival" by Maziar Bahari

     Remember last summer when Jon Stewart took three months off from hosting The Daily Show leaving it to John Oliver?  This film is the reason.
     Maziar Bahari is a journalist for Newsweek who is on assignment in Tehran, Iran for the 2009 election.  The election is between the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Mir-Hossein Mousavi.  When Bahari first arrives in Iran, the polls show that it is likely Mousavi will win as he is gaining a rather large lead against Ahmadinejad.  Ahmadinejad is backed by the Supreme Leader and there are fears that the election will be rigged in favor of Ahmedinejad.  Well, that's exactly what happens.  There are protests in the streets, and Bahari's story has changed.  He first was covering what he thought would be a peaceful election, but now it has turned violent.  
     Iran is a difficult place to be a journalist, especially a foreign journalist like Bahari.  After he submits his footage, he is arrested and jailed for over 100 days.  He is heavily interrogated, and almost tortured at some points.  He has been accused of being a foreign spy, and there's nothing he can really say to the authorities to prove that he is not one.  They are doing everything they can to get him to confess to being a foreign spy, but Bahari is doing his best to resist.  So, will he make it through to the end?
     Rosewater is Jon Stewart's directorial debut.  So the question is, should he continue as a filmmaker, or simply stay where he is as the host of The Daily Show?  Something that is really great about Jon Stewart, and one of the things, in my opinion, that has made him as successful as he is today, is that he can make you laugh hysterically one moment, and in the next moment, be a totally serious commentator (watch some of his interviews to see what I'm talking about).  He tackles tough issues on his show that sometimes get overlooked by other media outlets and criticizes them for overlooking them or reporting on them in a bad way.  He has gotten into very serious rivalries and arguments with people like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity (Fox News doesn't like him so much because of how much he goes after their programs).  Jon Stewart, over the last few years, has gone from a comedian poking fun at the news and the media, to a political commentator who just so happens to be a comedian.  So, why do I bring this up?  Because Rosewater shows his serious side incredibly well.  
     There is no comedy in this film whatsoever, and many people, especially those who are not as familiar with The Daily Show might have thought that Jon Stewart would make a comedy film.  This is him reinventing himself in a brilliant way.  
     This is a good first attempt for Stewart as a filmmaker, but sadly the film is not quite as good as I had hoped it would be.  What bothers me are the technical aspects more than the story itself.  The story is clear, concise, and easy to follow.  The film runs 1 hr 43 minutes, so it doesn't feel like a terribly long film.  The story focuses mainly on what happens to Bahari once he is arrested and thrown into solitary confinement.  Some of the characters are quite flat.  For example, the people who arrest Bahari; who are they and who do they work for?  The film doesn't do a great job answering that and leaves it up to the audience to assume they work for the government of Iran, and are puppets of the Supreme Leader.  
     In terms of the technical aspects, what bothers me the most is the progression of time.  There is text to show the audience when time progresses, however, it is not shown on the characters' faces or costumes.  Bahari's hair and beard do not seem to grow much at all during his time in prison.  So either he's getting a good haircut that we just don't see, or this is just an error in the production.  Also, the guy who is interrogating Bahari; he wears literally the same outfit every time we see him.  Same shirt and same pants.  He simply doesn't change.  
     Gael García Bernal's portrayal of Maziar Bahari is excellent.  He delivers a very strong performance.  The film is clearly his show and he dominates it very well, however I do not expect him to get nominated for a Golden Globe or an Oscar this year.
     Overall, this movie was not quite what I expected it to be.  I'm a fan of Jon Stewart and I believe he has made a film worth watching, for fans of him.  It's not for everybody.  It isn't bloody and it isn't gory, but it can be tough to watch for some people in some scenes.
     I give Rosewater a B-.