Life, and Nothing More… (1992)
An interesting way to do a followup to Where is the friends house? with a blend of documentary and fiction following the devastating earthquake of 1990 in Iran, with the directors search for the kids who played in that movie. The structure is sort of similar built around a long search for someone, though this time mostly by car through an area destroyed by the earthquake. Kiarostami keeps it real and personal with these people as we get a sense of the scale of the destruction, but it isn’t a movie that overflows with sadness. The survivors find some solace in getting together to watch some world cup matches. Where Where is the friends house? shined with the viewer really feeling the boys frustration and his sense of urgency, this movie is more about what happens in the background. I didn’t feel the director or his son in this had quite the same screen presence and it made this movie a bit more emotionally flat.
Rating: 3.5