Rosebud And Then They Came For Me By Jon Stewart

Directors that film movies based on true events tend to take themselves too seriously, and their movies reflect that attitude. A dark introduction is usually followed by a gloomy middle with an unsettling climax, resulting in doleful conclusion. If any movie were to follow this recipe, one might assume it would be one focused on an Iranian prison. Rosebud, which is such a movie, does not. Chronicling the Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari’s 118 grueling days in prison and the events leading up to it, this film portrays the existence of good humor present in real-world situations - not matter how horrifying they might be. In 2009, after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory over his opponent, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the people of Iran gathered to peacefully

Stewart, in his writer and directorial debut, could not have done better in those three months. His ability to present a clear story that is interesting to the critic and viewer proves his surprising talent for directing. A scene in which Bahari is riding through hurried city of Teheran, listening to the sounds of a peaceful uprising brilliantly portray the post-election atmosphere of uneasiness and dread. Beyond adapting the newsworthy events that took place, Stewart tells the story of the man, Maziar Bahari (played by Gael García Bernal): a son and brother coming to terms with the imprisonment and torture his father Akbar (played by Haluk Bilginer) and sister Maryam (played by Golshifteh Farahani). As Bahari rides through the town, he pictures their faces displayed on the path he follows, serving as a poetic warning of the dangers he will face or even prophesying his own impending

During the months in solitary confinement, Bahari daily endured brutal and extended torture from Rosewater, which is almost too difficult to watch as times. Kim Bodnia masterfully plays the role of oppressor and torturer by being both terrifying and, in a way, playful, causing the audience to come down with a slight case of stockholm syndrome. But as the torture sessions become more severe, Bahari begins to weaken under pressure as he worries about his pregnant wife in London and scared mother in Tehran. Bernal makes the viewer feel his desperation as he considers admitting false guilt in an effort to return home. His constant flip-flopping between uplifting hope and drowning despair leaves the crowd exhausted and properly