Watch Taste of Cherry

Taste of Cherry is a 1997 Iranian drama film directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film follows the journey of a man named Mr. Badii (Homayoun Ershadi) who is driving around Tehran looking for someone to retrieve him from a hole in the ground that he intends to dig himself into and die. His purpose is to end his life and he is looking for someone who can help him with his plan.

As the story unfolds, we get to know more about Mr. Badii's life, his background, and the reasons that have led him to this decision. Throughout the movie, he meets different people, all of whom he tries to convince to help him with his plan. He first meets a young soldier (Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari), who refuses to help him after learning of his intentions. Mr. Badii then meets a taxidermist (Abdolrahman Bagheri), who eventually agrees to help him, but only if Mr. Badii changes his mind and chooses to live.

The film explores themes of life, death, existentialism, and morality, and depicts the isolated nature of modern city life. The camera work is notable for its wide, panoramic shots of Tehran and its surrounding mountains, showing both the beauty and the barrenness of the landscape. In addition, the film's dialogue is crafted in such a way that it feels like real conversations.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the way it deals with its central premise. Despite the subject matter, it never feels overly bleak or morbid. The film's slow pace and delicate handling of Mr. Badii's situation instead evoke a sense of introspection and reflection.

The performances of the lead actors are also noteworthy. Homayoun Ershadi, in particular, delivers a restrained and nuanced performance as Mr. Badii, capturing his character's pain and sorrow with subtlety and sensitivity. Abdolrahman Bagheri and Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari, too, deliver impressive turns in smaller roles.

Carved out of the vast rocky expanses outside Tehran the hole represents death and the world above it life. Mr. Badii's aim is that someone will come and cover him up with earth after he's swallowed some sleeping pills; he's planned everything meticulously. However, he has an extremely hard time finding a willing participant for his plan, and must face the possibility of his suicidal journey continuing indefinitely.

Overall, Taste of Cherry is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that explores the complexities of human existence. Its unique narrative structure, beautiful cinematography, and strong performances make it a must-watch for fans of Iranian cinema, and for anyone interested in exploring the deeper questions of life and death.

Taste of Cherry is a 1998 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 80.