House of Sand and Fog **** (2003, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Jonathan Ahdout, Kim Dickens, Frances Fisher) – Classic Movie Review 5646

Two people try to follow their own idea of the American dream – with disastrous results.

Co-writer/ producer/ director Vadim Perelman’s superlative, provocative 2003 movie version of a hit novel by André Dubus III is an overwhelmingly emotional experience, propelled with wonderful performances and the passion of its writing.

Ben Kingsley is brilliant as Massoud Amir Behrani, an Iranian immigrant in America, who sees a chance to recoup his losses by buying a repossessed house, belong to a feckless, ex-addict young woman, Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), who desperately wants it back. Behrani is equally desperate to keep it, or at least sell it for its true value – four times what he’s paid for it. Lester (Ron Eldard), a weak and troubled cop who wants to help Kathy, is just the man to make things a whole lot worse.

Connelly and Eldard are excellent, too, in more difficult roles – since they have to pull you onto the side of their desperately flawed characters. Shohreh Aghdashloo is superb as Behrani’s kind, uncomprehending and put-upon wife, who speaks little English, and Jonathan Ahdout excellent as their teenage son. James Horner’s score is a bit overpowering but distinguished and the same is true of Roger Deakins’s cinematography.

First-time director Perelman’s direction is attentive and conscientious, only occasionally a little bit fussy but never intrusive. It is a devastating exploration of the American dream turned sour.

Also in the cast are Frances Fisher, Kim Dickens, Carlos Gômez, Navi Rawat, Kia Jam, Samira Damavandi and Namrata Cooper.

Distributed by Buena Vista, the film is co-written by Shawn Otto and designed by Maia Javan.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5646

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