A Few Days Later

Whereas novels can stretch out and explain just how a character is feeling without making these feelings "visible" to other characters, cinema must come up with other ways to retreat inside. One obvious solution is onscreen narration, which is rarely used effectively. Karimi has latched upon the idea of avoidance and delay to depict her character‘s inner turmoil. This is not an easy sell to the average moviegoer, who depends on something "happening" at all times to drive the plot forward. Instead, Karimi pulls us along with the thought that something may happen just around the corner. Finally, she leaves us with a stunningly private conclusion, a single look that encapsulates everything. Jeffrey M. Anderson