Filmmaker Milad Alami’s inspired drama gradually peels back mysteries surrounding a young Iranian immigrant in Denmark. An absorbing tale in which things are often not what they seem, The Charmer centers on Esmail (Ardalan Esmaili), a handsome, intelligent migrant with an easy smile but muted anxiety in his eyes. Small rituals of Esmail’s daily life in Copenhagen—from carefully hand-laundering the same white dress shirt to chatting up women at the same wine bar every night—accrue until it becomes apparent that Esmail is in fear over his visa expiring. He is seeking a girlfriend who will let him co-habit with her so that he can remain in the country. The clock is ticking, and the desperation is beginning to show, turning Esmail into a bit of a pariah in singles hangouts. A couple of scenes in which Esmail Skypes with his Iranian family suggest that chain migration for his relatives is his ultimate goal. But The Charmer is very slow to show all its cards, especially after a young Iranian woman, Sara (Soho Rezanejad), enters the protagonist’s life, stirring feelings that he didn’t see coming. Highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Charmer
Film Movement, 102 min., in Danish & Persian w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99 Volume 34, Issue 4
The Charmer
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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