“The Color of Paradise” might be the most visually stunning film your family will ever watch together.
My own cliched images of Iran concern dusty streets and lingering footage of the hostage crisis. “The Color of Paradise” paints a rich portrait of the intensely green, flower-decorated countryside of Iran, teeming with bird songs and roaring streams.
It also affords a view of family life in a distant society, detached from the visceral stereotypes of Muslim politics.
And it’s a moving, simple story, just right for introducing your kids to subtitles. Young Mohammed is a blind student at a Tehran school, whose father from the country finds him a burden. Mohammed spends an idyllic summer in the hills with his sisters and grandmother, reveling in the green fields and deep woods. But his father would like to ditch Mohammed in order to remarry, and a potential tragedy looms.
Near the beginning of the film, Mohammed hears a fledgling bird fall from a tree and carefully restores it to the nest. Mohammed’s joy at what he can do far outweighs the sorrow over his limitations. Director Majid Majidi captures blind Mohammed’s sense of the world without condescension or melodrama.
Each Tuesday, Michael Booth uncovers a movie gem for rewarding family entertainment. Reach him at mbooth@denverpost.com; find the “Screen Team” blog at denverpostbloghouse.com.
The Color of Paradise
Rated | PG, for mature situations Most appealing | Children 9 or older
