Strong and Moving!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui has given us a stylish, thoughtful and moving Iranian film, "Leila" 1998. Anyone can easily appreciate the storyline, and most of all, women can empathize with central heroine Leila, the emotional journey that she is going through. Actress Leila Hatami captured the role of Leila, the young capable wife, to perfect tempo. Actor Ali Mosaffa comparably portrayed her loving supportive husband Reza. Together they put us at ease even when we see them arguing or frustrated by his mother's interfering calls - we somehow felt they would pull through. Or would they? Can Leila withstand her mother in law's insistence? Her silence to her own parents about her 'secret' lend no backbone solace to herself. How will she manage? Mehrjui also wrote the screenplay and his direction of the film is just as poignant. Its eloquence is at once unflinching and beautiful, devastating and thoughtful. In a culture so traditional, full of 'compulsory' expectations of an heir, a grandson, Leila and Reza is really depicted as quite modern in their marriage and thinking. There is suspense, alright, as we wait and waver with Leila, as we want to side with Reza to let things be. Yet once Leila decided to go ahead, the mood and pace transformed to anticipation and wonderment. We want to respect their reactions. We hope things would work out in Leila (and Reza)'s favor. Will they? How will it all end? The devastation Leila experienced touches us deeply. We worry for her. What shall Reza do? So many questions. So many unknowns. Hang in there. Writer-director-producer Mehrjui does not disappoint. "Leila" is a wonderful 'filmic' journey in spite of having to read subtitles. The acting, cinematography, score, everything about it is quality production. (129 minutes in Farsi with English subtitles.)

This is a touching love story starring a sterile Iranian woman, who has to deal with her in-laws' continuous desire for a grandchild. It is by no means Hollywood-friendly: the story unfolds as it would in real life. It is a perfect example of art imitating life.The cast is very proficient. Leila does an amazing job of conveying her deep yet veiled anxiety, annoyance and anger every time she speaks to her mother in-law. Sheikhi is equally proficient at making us scorn her. I did feel that Ali Mosaffa stole the show: he is flawless in his role of trying to keep the different protagonists happy, yet staying blind to their actual feelings.This movie may lose a lot of its punch for non-farsi speakers.Leila Hatami (Leila, the Wife) - 7/10 - Great when acting, not as great at narrating.Ali Mosaffa (Reza, the Husband) - 10/10 - Compelling flawless performance.Jamileh Sheikhi (Reza's Mother) - 8/10 - Successfully makes us shriek every time she speaks.Dariush Mehrjui - 8/10 - Very good script and good rhythm, though I felt that the movie was unusually dark. I am not sure if this was intended, poor cinematography or my failing TV set.

"Leila" is one of the most moving films I have ever seen. It is about an Iranian woman (played by Leila Hatami) who cannot have children. Agitated by her mother-in-law she starts pushing her husband to marry a second wife (which is allowed in Iran). The ensuing drama is captivating as we watch Leila and her husband in their painful journey."Leila", though, is not light-weight entertainment. For many Westerners with short attention spans it might even seem dull and boring. The scenes are not filled with gimmicks and cheap tricks. The characters do not overact and the music is minimal. Yet for these reasons, the movie succeeds.There is nothing artificial about it. Every scene is meaningful, filled with poignant imagery and symbolism. It is for those who like film as an art form, not simple entertainment. Leila Hatami's performance is superb. Her character might seem soft-spoken and docile, but she is strong willed and loving. She bears the pain without uttering a word. The director keeps the viewer close enough yet always detached from Leila, reaching the right balance. This detachment makes Hatami's performance even more powerful. The movie's success largely rests on her shoulders."Leila" is a powerful film. It has certain humanity that Hollywood blockbusters will never provide. Only intelligent viewers will appreciate the beauty of this film.

"Leila" is so awful it's painful to watch. The DVD I rented had all the zits and dust of the original film. The video was contrasty and grainy as if the film was "pushed" for speed as most indoor scenes were poorly lighted like a really bad noir. The color was off, the English subtitles were poor translations and blurry, the sound was awful and the voices on the "other end" of the phone conversations sounded like they were standing next to the person on screen, etc. The story was simple and didn't have to be any more than 1.3 hours but the film ran for a boring almost two hours owing to dawdling and filler. The plot was a no brainer which is blown way beyond any common sense with characters who are so stupid they do things like have a "fast of speech" which seemed like a euphemism for "not talking because I'm upset" which, of course, would create relationship problems and does which is why it's factored into this stupid film. Etc. Etc. I could go on. Long story short, don't waste you time on this awful film. If you're into Iranian, there are many better flicks out there from Iran. (D)