One of the most beautiful films of the year. It's a simple thing for Europeans. It's a common misunderstanding. But it is a great tragedy for Iran. Because a foreign man saw a woman naked. They are even embarrassed to tell the police.

Walked out. Film is stupid, annoying: The movie is so anti-sex that the characters kept accusing a prior neighbor of promiscuity, to blame her and explain the ensuing evil (the rape, primarily). The supposedly intelligent husband stupidly assumes, without talking to her about it, that his wife is ready to jump right back on stage after being violently raped and hospitalized.

Winner of this year's Best Foreign Language Oscar at the Academy Awards, The Salesman continues on Iranian director Asghar Farhadi's stunning recent collection of dramatic works that includes fellow Oscar winner A Separation and Golden Globe nominee The Past.An intense and intimate drama that veers into a character driven and decision making thriller in its later stages, Farhadi's film focuses on the fractured relationship that begins to build between married couple Emad and Rana Etesami after Rana is violently assaulted in the couples new rental property.Brilliantly played by Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidoosti respectively, Emad and Rana are both believable characters and well-drawn ones, staples of Farhadi's ever increasing strong body of works, and their separate journey's in learning to deal with and overcome this violation of their lives is one you as an audience member will be drawn into like a moth to a flame.Emad who's initially a strong and respectable figure, a beloved teacher and theatre actor (the title of this film relates to Emad and Rana's role in a stage production of The Death of a Salesman) finds himself increasingly captivated by the quest to find the perpetrator of the assault on Rana, that slowly but surely unravels his usual in-command lifestyle, while Rana's mental mindset and ability to cope with the trauma of this event sees her become a shell of her former self, unable even to do mundane run of the mill tasks.Farhadi expertly deals with this situation that arises in the Etesami's life, the film feels almost like a documentary, so real are scenes played out and as Emad's quest takes a potentially dangerous turn as the film enters into its final stretches, The Salesman's tension riddled and fiercely real situation's become some of the year's most wholly captivating, as we're trust headfirst into decisions that will affect these characters lives till the end of their days.Final Say – The Salesman isn't flashy cinema but Farhadi's carefully considered drama has a raw and poignant power that will lay its grip on viewers and won't let go until the credits roll, making The Salesman another fine feature film from one of the world's most consistent and original filmmakers.4 sleeping teachers out of 5

This film made waves at the Academy Awards (not just for the Academy boycott). I've been meaning to check it out at some point, and finally had the opportunity to watch it on an airplane during a flight. I've heard of A Separation but never watched it. Going in pretty blind into this film, I was very pleased with the end product. I read Death of a Salesman in high school and was able to spot some parallels.The film is about a husband and wife who work in theatre (on a production of Death of a Salesman). One night their apartment starts collapsing so they move into a new apartment. Soon the wife gets attacked in the shower while waiting for her husband. The husband becomes consumed with finding out who attacked his wife and attempts to pursue the culprit even as relationships around him start falling apart.A lot of people didn't find this to be as good as A Separation, or so I've heard. I thought the script for the film was quite sharp. Like Billy Loman in Death of a Salesman , Emad's relationship is on the rocks. He must also try to avoid the humiliation of what occurred within his family and must wrong the right. While the film is a bit of a slow burn on finding out who committed the act, the clues leading up to the reveal and the ride is very fun to be a part of.I found the last 30 minutes or so of the film to be powerful and it also helps to ascend the film to a higher rating. Its gripping and hard to keep your eyes off of what happens next. Its suspenseful but yet innocuous You know there's no immediate danger to the lead but wow its a joy to watch what transpires. I will have to eventually check out A Separation, especially if its more acclaimed than this.8/10