Every year, there’s a film that receives critical acclaim, generates a ton of buzz, and I end up not loving it. This year, that film is IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT.
I went into this movie wanting to love it. The story sounded so random, with a minor accident leading to chaos around love and acceptance. Yet, in Jafar Panahi’s writing and direction, the characters shout at each other, over-explaining their pain rather than showing it. It’s an exhausting exploration that left me wanting to get the heck out of the van the main characters spend most of the film in.
The story behind Jafar Panahi’s decision to speak out against the Iranian regime and his arrest is more fascinating than the film he made. This is similar to what happened to Mohammad Rasoulof last year and THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG. Knowing that Panahi has now been sentenced to one year for making IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, makes it more fascinating than the film itself. Why? Because when audiences watch it, they can see firsthand the injustices that Iran is trying to block others from seeing. I just wish the final product/movie was better.
It’s playing in limited theatres now, and after winning at The Gotham Awards and Cannes, it will most definitely be the talk of the upcoming Oscar season.