Taste of Cherry

Zeitgeist Films | Release Date: March 20, 1998

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Stream On

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

ahmedaiman1999May 9, 2021

The decision is made. Badii is intent to end his life, and all he asks for is someone who could bury him as he's lying in his grave he's already dug out. We have no idea why exactly Badii is willing to kill himself. And in this lack ofThe decision is made. Badii is intent to end his life, and all he asks for is someone who could bury him as he's lying in his grave he's already dug out. We have no idea why exactly Badii is willing to kill himself. And in this lack of explanation not only we're asked to focus on the 99-minute journey instead of the destination, but we're also implicitly informed that Badii's soul is no longer being tormented but it's already gasping out its last breath; which means it's not dead yet, though. If it hadn't been for Homayoun Ershadi, Badii would've seemed dead, even as he's driving his truck. For Eshadi's sorrow-laden eyes expose the misery that burdens Badii's soul and, in turn, prompts him to "free [himself] from this life," and that what makes him clutching at a straw even if he himself is completely unaware of that. There's nothing surrounding him that could urge him to give the idea a second thought. All we see are some bleak and dismally empty and desolate landscapes. The sound of silence permeate the screen to reflect the excruciating ennui Badii feels, and the only sounds that break the silence intermittently are the cacophonous sound of machines or other jarring sounds. Kiarostami also detaches him, and us, from the world Badii has long forsaken, making us listen to conversations with the speakers almost off-screen. And the only life form Badii seems to observe are not of the people he interacts with—simply because his mind is solely concentrating on seeking someone to assist him do what he wants—but those of crows. Along his journey, innate goodness of human beings like "refraining from doing any harm to anyone" or "offering a hand whenever encountering someone in need or trouble" are manifested, but so long as these traits interfere with Badii's intent, they come off as hurdles to what he plans to do and they just end up pass by him unnoticed. As he's in a stage beyond any rational thinking, religious and philosophical advices fall on deaf ears as well. No one can change his mind. A long lecturing would definitely be of no help, unless beneath its veneer of didacticism lies a life-affirming power and an irrefutable optimism of an epiphanic impact. What kept me from giving this five stars is that the lack of information about Badii distanced me emotionally from him at the beginning. Regardless, Taste of Cherry is a minimalist masterpiece that celebrates life by showing us its value and beauty hidden in its simplicity.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

DawdlingPoetNov 24, 2021

This is a thought provoking and somewhat philosophical watch. Its quite low key, almost documentary in style. The plot was rather slow and perhaps a little meandering. Its a sobering watch - an interesting one. I liked the discussions had,This is a thought provoking and somewhat philosophical watch. Its quite low key, almost documentary in style. The plot was rather slow and perhaps a little meandering. Its a sobering watch - an interesting one. I liked the discussions had, hearing different peoples opinions about a deeply personal matter.

I'm not sure I'd specifically recommend it as such but its certainly not bad either.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

Sono_MomoJun 17, 2022

I can boldly say that it's the best Iranian film. A film made for special tastes and not everyone has the patience to continue watching the film until the end. The Palme d'Or was rightly given to (Taste of Cherry)

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews