The story opens on a syringe pressed into a watermelon. Reza (Reza Akhlaghirad) is hard at work in his barn concealing his fermenting watermelons when an inspector from the local police barges onto his property. His barn and house are searched, and the inspector leaves with Reza’s hunting rifle, its license having just expired. The goldfish farmer tends to his stocks before his wife and son return home. His wife, Haddis (Soudabeh Beizaee), comforts him after dinner and assures him that things will turn out right. As weeks pass, things continue to go wrong for Reza and his family.
One day, while tending his fish, Reza notices that his water pump isn’t functioning. After cleaning the intake and restarting the pump, he realizes his reservoir is under-filled. After a trek upstream, he discovers the dampers have been lowered on the dam which feeds his reservoir. In attempting to solve his water problem, Reza ends up arrested for assault, and the problems only get worse from there.
Many have touted A Man of Integrity as ‘the best Iranian film,’ but I can’t agree with that statement. The story itself is very interesting, and we are exposed to some excellent cinematography. However, poor pacing, overuse of the writer’s convenience, and a lack of exposition make A Man of Integrity particularly frustrating to watch. It’s just over 25 minutes into the film before we hear Reza’s name for the first time. Perhaps people with extensive knowledge of the Persian language or modern Iranian culture will enjoy this film more than I did. Still, at nearly two hours, this film didn’t pack any punches and lacked context that would have made many moments meditative.
The theme of a man losing his morals is entirely decimated by the fact that we begin the story with at least three clandestine and obviously illegal acts: Brewing illegal booze from watermelons, bribing bank officials, and tampering with private property, all before we learn his name. This is made all the more frustrating since his wife, Haddis, seems to do most of the legwork in exposing and fighting the corruption. Her strong morals, impeccable acting, and tireless pursuit of justice make one wonder why this film is even titled A Man of Integrity as Reza spends a third of the film in a jail cell or sick in bed. Though shot like a thriller, A Man of Integrity is a slow and tragic drama with a last-moment twist that will leave many viewers stunned. Fair.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
A Man of Integrity would fit best on foreign language drama shelves.
What kind of film series could use this title?
If you’re looking for longer-form content, A Man of Integrity could work for film series on modern Iranian film.