Preview: The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009)

Synopsis:

An Iranian woman seeks a stranger's help in bringing the story of her niece and the circumstances leading to her stoning to public light, highlighting the lack of rights for women under Islamic law.

• Poster: D+

Review:

In Islamic tradition, women are supposed to cover their heads and most often faces, thus why we're seeing this woman from only a very narrow perspective. However, that traditionalism doesn't really excuse the lazy color design or layout.

• Trailer: C+

Review:

A rather pointed and pushy story about an Iranian woman who hopes to bring justice for her niece after false accusations lead to her death. The trailer feels intensely American, which may pay a disservice to the production which may bare unfair comparisons to Babel and other films that attempt to shine a light on atrocities around the world, but ultimately dwindle into rhetorical assessments devoid of any real emotional connectivity.

Oscar Prospects:

I could see the Academy picking Shohreh Aghdashloo for Oscar consideration again, but I'm not so sure the film, releasing in the heigh of tent-pole season, will be able to hang onto voter attention for that long.

Release Date:

• June 26, 2009

Full Review Synopsis:

Anchored by a terrific performance by Shohreh Aghdashloo, The Stoning of Soraya M explores the disturbing lives of women in the more radical regions of the Middle East.

• Full Review: The Stoning of Soraya M

-Wesley Lovell (April 12, 2009) Original

-Wesley Lovell (April 26, 2009) New Poster

-Wesley Lovell (April 4, 2010) Added Review Link