The strange thing about this brilliant Iranian drama is that it was actually made all the way back in the year 2009, but wasn't given a legitimate release in the United States or in Europe until 2015. The six year wait for this masterpiece was totally worth it. About Elly, directed by master filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (A Separation), takes it cues from Michelangelo Antonionis classic drama L'Avventura in its exploration of the relationship between middle-class relatives in Iran. In L'Avventura, the "plot" is spurred on by the disappearance of a character, and it's the sae here: when the titular character goes missing during a three-day trip on the Caspian Sea, lots of things rise to the surface. As with all of Asghar Farhadi's films, About Elly is built from great character reveals, as the main players are unveiled as dense and complicated individuals. But there's also Hitchcockian force driving this one - especially once the halfway mark kicks in - that cements it as a genuine thriller. Once Elly vanishes, you'll be gripped to your very core.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
