A Hero (2021) | agoodmovietowatch
A Hero 8.6 2021 Movie

A Hero

Dir. Asghar Farhadi · France, Iran · Persian, Portuguese

Another complex Iranian drama from the director of A Separation

Our take by Bilal Zouheir

Celebrated Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s latest movie is about Rahim, a man who is in jail because he was unable to repay a debt. He gets a temporary release from prison, and with a big smile on his face, he leaves his confinement with a plan not to come back.

His secret girlfriend hands him a pack of gold coins, which they plan to sell to repay the creditor. But, as is custom with Farhadi’s movies, the center of the story is a moral dilemma that comes from one of the characters trying to be a good person. The gold coins are not Rahim’s or his girlfriend’s, but it’s life-changing for both of them. 

Selected as Iran’s official submission to the Oscars. 

What happens

Rahim is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned. Is he truly a hero?

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"Farhadi patiently cranks up the moral suspense until we can barely breathe."

— Anthony Lane

"A soulful reflection on the morality of crime."

— Adam Solomons

Awards

Cannes

1 win

Won: Grand Prix

Golden Globes

2 noms

Nominated: Best Motion PictureNominated: Best Picture

Nat. Board of Review

2 wins · 1 nom

Won: Best Foreign Language FilmWon: Best Original ScreenplayNominated: Official Selection

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About the author

Bilal Zouheir

Bilal Zouheir

Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is US-based and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.