The Man Without a Shadow

THE MAN WITHOUT A SHADOW - PERSIA FILM DISTRIBUTION

Alireza Raissian's The Man Without a Shadow is a stoic and deliberately methodical thriller that explores gender dynamics in an Iranian household to an engaging degree, yet flounders in serving it in a genre piece with little return.

The surface level of The Man Without a Shadow showcases itself as an enigmatic thriller of sorts. Tensions rise between a lawsuit and a family, with threats that lead to dubious relationships struggling to survive amid social and revenue chaos. However, this narrative is purely external as Alireza Raissian's film never quite digs thematically deep enough – Raissianfails to explore this genre in a compelling way. 

Granted, both the score and cinematography from Sattar Oraki and Masoud Salami cater towards a specific aesthetic and are engaging inclusions. The former is light and tremendously foreboding and, in its restraint, is quite effective in its delivery. The latter tremendously claustrophobic, crafting an unsettling and visually evocative mood. However, each impressive component cannot elevate what is present on paper, which leads to the issue of what lies underneath the surface.

While the genre of both horror and thriller is apparent, the core of Raissian's feature is the captivating commentary on gender and social dynamics. Writer-director Alireza Raissian decides to caveat this discussion and thematic weight within a genre piece that feels excessive to discuss the heart and soul of this particular feature. A central identity of a drama alone works wonders to flesh out the misogyny of man and the necessity of sacrifice from women in Iran, without having to shroud it in an enigmatic mystery.

This caveat never undercuts Raissian's story but does come incredibly close to doing so, throwing off the flow and interest of digging deep and exploring these societal issues with a voice and impact. In turn, this decision in genre exercise somewhat dampens the material and therefore the performances from both Leila Hatami and Ali Mosaffa, of whom are terrific in the film. Hatami in particular, showcases excellent skill in her craft but is never given enough material to examine the potential of the film and while her character’s plight as a mother is a central storyline, it is in no way developed enough as it could be. 

A cross between an Iranian kitchen sink drama from David Lynch and Asghar Farhadi, The Man Without a Shadow is a feature that overcomplicates its delivery, yet remains an engaging well-performed feature with a rich and strong performance from actress Leila Hatami, whom profoundly impresses.