But as viewers who like to extract social reality issues from simple plots, we can still feel that behind the setting of many plots are Fahati's intentions and some thoughts in trying to reflect the multi-ethnic situation and unconscious conflicts in France. The protagonist Ahmad is an Iranian who has lived in France, while Samir should be an immigrant or descendant of North Africa. The first two couples Ahmad and Marie and Samir and Celine are actually a combination of aliens and French. (Actually, according to the cast, the actor who played Samir’s wife Celine is Polish, but in the movie it is explained that Celine is French, so I think so for the time being) The suspicion in the marriage relationship and the difference in the lifestyle that he believes in are different ethnic backgrounds and Problems exist in all social classes, but they are obviously more intense in the love of people of different backgrounds. The film did not directly explain what was the reason why Ahmad returned to Iran before he even had time to clarify his marriage, but Ahmad's short self-report revealed his desperate state at the time. There must be an alien among them. People’s living pressure at the bottom of French society, otherwise, why would he not change his life in another city and have to return to his motherland? And from the development of the whole plot, we can also see that Ahmad and Marie have different personalities. Ahmad has Eastern humility and tolerance. This is especially reflected in his kindness to the three children, so we can see that although He is not the biological father of any of these three children but has gained the trust of the three children. In the face of misunderstandings, his first choice was to forgive. From the time the child stole the gift until his wife concealed Samir’s existence, he was always calm and silent. In contrast, Marie was a typical French woman. Impulsive, casual and extreme. There is a detail in the film that Ahmad cooks traditional Iranian dishes at Marie's house, and Marie still habitually eats with a knife and fork. It can also be seen that the two people did not fully accept each other's culture. The two people quarreled constantly as soon as they met, and it became an unexpected thing.
And another episode in this first family story is another small supporting role that cannot be ignored-Iranian restaurant owner Shahryar. From the incident in which he took Lucie, it can be seen that this is also a Persian who is full of wisdom and understanding. The role, but in the film it is explained that he has an ex-wife (ex-girlfriend?) Mitra, and currently with an Italian female chef named Valeria, there are also some sadness of life difficult and dependent on people who are also struggling in a foreign country. (Speaking of which Valeria said, "At least one thing we have in common is the same color of the national flag", I still smiled, but after thinking about it, I felt that this sentence was very self-deprecating)
The main line of the film's development is still the mystery of Celine's suicide, so the story of Samir and Celine has a more significant focus. First of all, Samir’s setting is an ordinary laundromat owner. His laundromat is crowded and dilapidated, and he probably can’t afford a house and can only live with his wife in a small room on the second floor of the laundromat where you can never see the sun. In Marie’s house, he was also used as a painter by the delivery man (the delivery man sent the suitcase is also very interesting. If the suitcase is damaged, you should be able to claim for compensation, but Samir said nothing. It can be seen that he is also a try The role of forbearance). But at the end of the credit, Samir was looking for a long shot of a wife’s dressing table full of cosmetics when he was looking for a perfume that his wife had used. It contrasted with the background of the shabby room, suggesting that the contradiction between the vanity of the French wife and reality may have caused the marriage to appear in the first place. The reason for the rift and his wife’s initial tendency to depression. The key role in this story is not these two people, but Naima, an African-American laborer illegally employed by the laundry shop. In Celine's journey from suspicion of Naima to final suicide, it is difficult to say who is right and who is wrong with these two women. But why did Celine never doubt Marie but Naima first? It’s not hard to imagine the reason-Naima must be just a lower-level figure in Celine’s mind, and there are good reasons for being a junior (to obtain legal residence status in France through marriage). There is no doubt that there is unconscious racial discrimination in this. Inside, and this suspicion finally reached the level of trying to blame Naima, so Naima finally took the opportunity of Lucie to clarify the truth + revenge, "I am fed up with infinite suspicion." But in the end, Celine poured laundry detergent in front of Naima, and did not forgive the innocent woman to death. If Celine was victimized by the distrust among the hearts of the people, then the back of Naima who left alone, is not another victim of the selfish side of human nature?
Looking at it from the end, the two couples are in love. Lucie said that Marie and Samir are together only because of the similarity between Samir and Ahmad. Maybe it’s a bit exaggerated, but if you don’t love, there will be no peaceful revenge or divorce after four years. At that moment, I told my husband that he was pregnant with someone else's child. There were no infinite family and child problems. And Samir and Celine's love has naturally appeared very clearly. And Samir and Marie, whether they are just filling the missing position in each other’s lives, or there are more complicated feelings in them, we have no way of knowing, but no matter whether the two people can get married and give birth to children, they will still face it. The same problem, the reason for separation is often not emotional indifference, but misunderstanding and mistrust between people of different backgrounds.
But after all, Fahati himself is also a foreign race. Compared with the numerous films that reflect the marginal people of France, this film still fails to get out of the perspective of foreign races. There are some bystander colors, and many points that can be spread out for discussion are just Taken in one stroke. But perhaps, Fahati himself still hopes to tell the story from the perspective of an Iranian. Before the Islamic Revolution, France had always been the number one destination for Iranians to study and work. The protagonist Ahmad returned to Iran from France for many years and then returned to France, only to find that the infinite complexity and problems of the Western world instantly fell on him. Knowing whether it represents the mentality of the entire contemporary Iranian people-from open to closed, and then re-examine the Western world, only to find that their own tradition and tolerance have long been unable to provide any substantial solution to the complex human society.
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