Almost from the very beginning, There is No Evil by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof lets viewers know the film is going to be a profound exploration into a severe topic: executioners. One thing the filmmaker does brilliantly is put the viewer in the character’s place. Would any of us have what it takes to put ourselves in any of these people’s shoes?
The film is an anthology, following the lives of characters such as Heshmat (Ehsan Mirhosseini), a jovial family man going through the motions of a regular day . . . until you find out what he does for a living. Rasoulof peppers his stories with left turns like this, and once you truly think you have a grasp on what’s going on, he makes another left turn.
The four stories all bring up issues of following orders, moral compasses, and other ethical dilemmas. Take for example the story of Pouya (Kaveh Ahangar). A soldier who’s next to carry out the duties of an executioner, Pouya struggles to pass the responsibility onto someone else. Or consider the love story of Java and Nana (Mohammad Valizadegan and Mahtab Servati). Java, also a soldier like Pouya, sneaks off to see his beloved. However, tensions mount and force Java to reconcile his duty to his country to his duty to his beloved.
The final (and most touching) tale involves Bahram (Mohammad Seddighimehr) and Darya (Baran Rasoulof, the director’s daughter). Darya grows suspicious of her uncle Bahram’s past, and he is forced to reveal his past misdeeds, forever altering their relationship. Rasoulof, throughout all four stories, sticks with ambiguity. He doesn’t provide concrete answers or resolutions. He instead lets the viewer think for themselves, a stroke of true artistic talent. Aud, C, P.