Review: House of Sand and Fog

Rated R | 126 mins

This is not a movie about the world, in general. It’s about the conflict between and the contrasting ways of people, and their behavior as a result of it. All director Vadim Perelman requires of his audience is that they understand his characters, even if they may not sympathize for them. House of Sand and Fog’s intentions are pure; realism isn’t nearly as important to the story as the interests and opinions of personalities that we become acquainted with during it.

Jennifer Connelly plays Kathy, a woman whose house is mistakenly taken from her, when records show that she has not paid her taxes. It’s auctioned off to Behrani (Ben Kingsley) and his family, who have been exiled from Iran. The house has been in Kathy’s family for years, and was left to she and her brother (who does not live there) by their late father. Since Behrani will not sell the house back to the government, Kathy will face an uphill battle in getting it back. Kathy also has hardly any money, because she’s a low-paid housecleaner, making the traumatic event even tougher. On top of all of this, she begins to fall in love with Lester (Ron Eldard), the police officer who comes to evict her. He’s unhappily married, only staying with his wife to make life easier for his children, but instantly changes his mind when his relationship with Kathy begins to bud.

Kathy and Behrani aren’t likeable characters by default, and director Perelman doesn’t give viewers an answer as to who they should root for. It’s not his job to guide us into taking someone’s side. There’s no need for us to do so, either. We pondering the actual confliction between the two characters is much more crucial to the impact in which the film will put upon us. Why should Kathy and Behrani’s disagreement affect their physical actions so much? Is it human nature, their pasts, or the given issue that’s causing this? Can we relate to them? On the surface, perhaps not, but their desires are usual, just presented in an exaggerated form. However, it’s this exaggeration that leads to the depressingly painful finale, which both shows and symbolizes the intentions of the two. These are noticeably triggered by both Kathy and Behrani’s passion towards various aspects of their lives and them beginning to be true to themselves. This is presented in a frankly brute form, but it’s a strikingly honest one, albeit stretched. The point of House of Sand and Fog is not to depict a situation, but to observe via reflection.

Kingsley and Connelly are both fabulous, and quite daring in their portrayals of these characters. The two talents show us the clash between Kathy and Behrani in an unlikely, but wondrously profound way. For Kingsley, this means dramatizing his character, and emphasizing the grounds on which his position is based upon. I believe that the life that he has lived creates his opinion, in addition to imminent fear that lurks within his family, as a result of previous experiences in their native country. The way in which he deals with the entire situation may not be a good method, but it’s evident why he chooses it. Connelly’s work is a little more ambiguous, but she undeniably hits the right note. It is, however, clear that Kathy’s life has always been a never-ending cycle of negativity. Connelly illustrates this in a flawless manner, which is, in a sense, exhaustingly magical. She and her co-star deserve Oscar nominations.

To create a story, you need a conflict. House of Sand and Fog is about conflict. This, alone, makes one hell of an enriching, interesting, and emotionally engaging story. It is one of the year’s best motion pictures.