The Kite Runner
I was fortunate to be invited to an pre-release screening of The Kite Runner. I loved the book (written by Khaled Hosseini) and was anxious to see the film. I would say that the great majority of people in the audience had also read the book.
Marc Forster does a very good job of adapting the book. Surely this was not an easy film to adapt. And the fact that Forster is not from a Muslim background and uses various dialects in the film make it even more impressive.
The story starts off in pre Russian invasion Afghanistan. Young Amir (Zakeria Ebrahimi) lives a nice life with his well off father Baba (Homagon Ershadi). He is good friends with Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) who is the son of the household servant Ali (Nabi Tanha). Both Hassan and Ali are treated very well by Ali. Amir feels that his father doesn't love him because he is too soft. So he desparately wants to win a kit running competition. And he does so with the help of Hassan. But something very bad happens to Hassan and Amir, who sees what happens, does nothing to stop it. In fact, Amir only compounds what he has done with other bad deeds. The Russians invade Afghanistan and Amir and Baba leave for America. Life goes on but down the road Amir (as an adult he is played by Khalid Abdalla) finds himself back in the now Taliban run Afghanistan on a mission.
I won't say more about the plot. If you read the book you already know what happens. There are certain details that were left out of the film but how can you fit everything into a two hour movie. However, there is one detail that I think that they should have put in. But what can you do? The acting is fine all around - I forgot to mention the great performance by Shaun Toub as Rahim Kahn - who is a friend of Baba's and Amir's. And the last 45 minutes of the film in particular really captures the spirit of the book. There were a number of times during the film that I had tears in my eyes.
Ultimately, The Kite Runner is about redemption and forgiveness. One of the lines of the film says "you can make things good again." And that is something that we all should heed.
Finally, when I left the theater I thought to myself that yes, the US has many, many problems.
But after seeing this film I also felt so blessed that I live here and not in a place like Afghanistan because despite everything I am still allowed to criticize the powers that be.
Marc Forster does a very good job of adapting the book. Surely this was not an easy film to adapt. And the fact that Forster is not from a Muslim background and uses various dialects in the film make it even more impressive.
The story starts off in pre Russian invasion Afghanistan. Young Amir (Zakeria Ebrahimi) lives a nice life with his well off father Baba (Homagon Ershadi). He is good friends with Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) who is the son of the household servant Ali (Nabi Tanha). Both Hassan and Ali are treated very well by Ali. Amir feels that his father doesn't love him because he is too soft. So he desparately wants to win a kit running competition. And he does so with the help of Hassan. But something very bad happens to Hassan and Amir, who sees what happens, does nothing to stop it. In fact, Amir only compounds what he has done with other bad deeds. The Russians invade Afghanistan and Amir and Baba leave for America. Life goes on but down the road Amir (as an adult he is played by Khalid Abdalla) finds himself back in the now Taliban run Afghanistan on a mission.
I won't say more about the plot. If you read the book you already know what happens. There are certain details that were left out of the film but how can you fit everything into a two hour movie. However, there is one detail that I think that they should have put in. But what can you do? The acting is fine all around - I forgot to mention the great performance by Shaun Toub as Rahim Kahn - who is a friend of Baba's and Amir's. And the last 45 minutes of the film in particular really captures the spirit of the book. There were a number of times during the film that I had tears in my eyes.
Ultimately, The Kite Runner is about redemption and forgiveness. One of the lines of the film says "you can make things good again." And that is something that we all should heed.
Finally, when I left the theater I thought to myself that yes, the US has many, many problems.
But after seeing this film I also felt so blessed that I live here and not in a place like Afghanistan because despite everything I am still allowed to criticize the powers that be.
posted by Film Fanatic | 7:53 PM
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