Rosewater

  • 2014


MOVIE IS satirical impressive iranian powerful stunningly
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58 %
76 % Certified Fresh
$ 3 Million
See Where to Watch Rosewater
Positive Reviews 115
Negative reviews 20
Average Rating 3.4/5
satirical impressive iranian powerful stunningly

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  • Positive
  • Negative
2.5
Centrist mush basic, boilerplate human interest stuff thats too shapeless to completely work as drama, and too depoliticized to be taken seriously as .. Av Club
3.8
Rosewater, starring the geeky charismatic Gael Garcia Bernal as Bahari, is a gripping drama, smartly calibrated for Western audiences who still need a .. EW
3.8
In 1997, on the first of several visits to Iran to investigate its cinema, I met a smart, genial young Iranian Canadian filmmaker and journalist named .. Rogerebert
4.0
First, the film tells what could easily have been an overly intellectualized story with lots of heart, a reminder that the bluster of politics can dro .. Common Sense Media
2.8
Rosewater is lacking in sophistication, but its attitude is infectious. Indie Wire
4.0
There is something of Polanski in the movies intentionally claustrophobic tension, and a tone held in careful balance between despair and gallows humo .. Variety
4.0
Jon Stewarts directorial debut, Rosewater, is an inspiring, unexpectedly funny re telling of journalist Maziar Baharis 118 day imprisonment by the Ira .. We Got This Covered
3.0
But Rosewaters heart lies in telling a serious tale of tragedy, a miscarriage of justice. Time Out
3.0
Directorially, its nuts and bolts fare, the imagined apparition of Baharis father (Haluk Bilginer) being one of its few stylistic flourishes. The Guardian
4.0
Stewart has created a humane black tragicomedy that reminded me of Tom Stoppards anti Soviet satire Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. The Guardian
3.1
Stewart deserves credit for trying to resist the inherent triumph of the human spirit proposition that haunts all movies like Rosewater, but the strug ..
1.5
Still, Hansen Loves primary aesthetic achievement is to capture the sense of a party dying out from fatigue.
3.8
But it also gives off more than a whiff of dark comedy one whose subject is bureaucracy and the banality of evil.First time writer director Jon Stewar ..
4.5
On Rosewaters, there is only the curt directives of an egotistical superior.The turning of the tables is a coup de theatre that makes you after feelin .. Vulture
3.5
Stewart and cinematographer Bobby Bukowski cover it all in a straightforward, watchable way, the performances are all sincere and solid and the situat .. The Hollywood Reporter
3.5
Baharis prison captivity is remarkable more for its tedium than its ferocity.
2.0
Among its virtues, Rosewater, the directorial debut of Jon Stewart, is an argument for filmmakers to start their trade after theyve looked beyond the .. The New York Times
3.4
Rosewater is his attempt to appeal to a much larger audience, which ultimately results in a well meaning if diluted film. Paste Magazine
3.5
Stewart manages to squeeze a surprising amount of comedy out of the hellish situation, Barahi countering accusations with mystifying lies. IGN
4.0
This footage was later cited as evidence by the Iranian authorities.Baharis nightmare behind bars is depicted with unapologetic scenes of brutal tortu .. Telegraph
4.0
With no contact with the outside world, Bahari ends up taking comfort from visions he has of his sister Maryam (Golshifteh Farahani) and his father, H ..
2.5
But Rosewater is not just a set of nice ideas.Its a drama, and as a drama it has a promising opening, a reasonably interesting conclusion and a dead m .. San Francisco Chronicle
4.0
In the end, it becomes a powerful and moving story of the ties that bind us all and the fears that keep us apart.
3.0
It also feels a bit too much like a well intentioned but dry civics lesson. Cinema Blend
4.0
That doesnt mean that for the 118 days in detention, Bahari has no fear. Ny Daily News
3.0
Rosewater is emotionally sincere and thoughtful, but Jon Stewarts movie also very much feels like a first time directors work. Screen Rant
3.1
This should come as no surprise from a filmmaker whos made his career and reputation as a mainstream TV funnyman dissenter in the digital media era. The Globe And Mail
4.0
It can never be justified.It is wrong, self defeating and poisons the rule of law, replacing it with terror. Spirituality And Practice
1.5
Rosewater is an earnest picture, but its also got some juice theres vitality and feeling in it, the secret ingredients so often missing from even the .. Village Voice
3.8
Baharis story might not be representative of every prisoner of conscience trapped in an Iranian jail. Rogers Movie Nation
3.8
There are some nice performances but ultimately this is a middling film that doesnt do enough to distinguish itself in any of the categories the Acade .. ReelViews
3.2
Granted, Rosewater does offer a few points of humor along the way, but its primarily interested in sobering sequences of interrogation and hopelessnes .. Blu Ray
2.5
In the end, however, the movie needs to stand on its own, apart from its noble intentions and the popularity of its writer director. Chicago Reader
3.1
The movie displaysbut doesnt the point ofa genuine understanding of the absurdity of the situation for these bureaucrats, who work for a goal that can .. Mark Reviews Movies
2.0
He is arrested as a spy for the US and held incognito.What is their evidence
2.8
He is arrested as a spy for the US and held incognito.What is their evidence
4.4
CLOSE USA Today Movie Critic Claudia Puig discusses Rosewater and tells you whether to Catch It, Rent It, or Skip It in this weeks edition of The Scre .. Usa Today
3.0
Gael Garcia Bernal plays Bahari in this straightforward and solid film. The Times
3.0
After the arrest, the storytelling becomes more grim but Stewart never loses his sense of satire. Independent
3.8
And theres no resorting to the thriller tropes that helped sell Argo. Rolling Stone
3.5
The Nature of Imitation is the sound of Dorian Concept systematically deconstructing various genres, stripping them back to the bones underneath and t .. Pop Matters
2.0
The real Baharis courage inspires admiration, but Rosewater seems like a missed opportunity to pay tribute to it. The Wrap
3.1
Anyone who doesnt know that Jon Stewart directed a movie this year hasnt been watching enough Daily Show: The political/comedy talk show host took the .. News Day
3.2
Stewart does a credible job of maintaining the storys immediacy, but I must say I felt relieved that the film wasnt a masterpiece. Cs Monitor
1.9
Jon Stewarts filmmaking debut Rosewater has much in common with The Daily Show its blaringly obvious, its naive, it plays to the cheap seats and its e .. New York Post
3.5
Aside from at least one brutal beating, Baharis torture is more mental than physical. Film Journal International ..
3.5
But at every turn we are reminded that this is A Big Deal kind of movie.Its a good film, but eventually youll wish we werent. Az Central
4.0
He smells of rosewater, and on good days he brings gifts of cakes and apricots. Smh
3.5
The results are a mixed bag, with moments of greatness that arent enough to make the film itself great. Mountain X
2.0
There are moments in Rosewater where Stewarts trademark wit shines through, but he largely avoids satire here, opting instead for lighthearted sinceri .. Npr
4.5
I had a lot of hopes for Jon Stewarts first foray into narrative cinematic storytelling, which hes never done before.I expected something passionate, ..
3.8
Rosewater Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Kim Bodnia, Dimitri Leonidas, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Claire Foy.Written and directed by Jon Stewart. Toronto Star
4.5
But we live in the grubby, unjust real world, where the first time writer/director of this heartfelt political drama happens to have spent the last 15 .. Slate
4.0
His debut film Rosewater is a small scale but heartfelt drama that delivers a simple and effective message about the importance of political freedom. Flim List
3.0
The challenge when making a political drama is to intrigue the audience without appearing didactic. Susang Ranger
3.5
In all, theocrats make bad comics and a lousy audience for comedy. New Yorker
5.0
The virtue of this movie is its commitment to political ambiguity and emotional truth. Time
3.8
Bodnia doesnt treat the line as a joke, which it is, which makes it all the funnier. Chicago Tribune
3.8
Rosewater doesnt ask us to admire a hero but to sympathize with a human being; instead of moving us to outrage, it stirs derision at any government th .. Boston Globe
3.2
Its dramatic without being melodramatic and honest without being dry. Uproxx
2.9
Stewart does a great job of avoiding clichs in his first time feature as writer director, but the emotional tie that was needed in order to make a con .. Blogs Indie Wire
3.2
For better or worse, torture themed films dont get too much easier to take than this one. Blogs Indie Wire
4.0
The film as Stewarts rivals at Fox were all too happy to note went down like a cup of cold sick in the US.In other news, its a touching piece of work .. Standard
3.0
GO LONDON newsletter Enter your email address Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Emai .. Standard
3.8
Rosewater, Stewarts first stab at writing and directing a film, is unusually good a look at conflict and suppression in Iran that also manages to cont .. Detroit News
4.5
Benedict Cumberbatch Wants You To Know He *Is* The Motherf*cking Grinch The Grinch star takes Mike Ryan through the final scenes of Avengers: Infinity .. Hit Fix
3.2
Rosewater is at its best when its less a pick and choose historical artifact than an examination of what time in undeserved solitude does to the human .. Consequence Of Sound
3.1
Stewart can never quite answer the question: Why this mans story, of all the ones that should be told And why now, five years later Nj
4.0
Their enthusiasm is infectious; they cant wait for a new day.It never dawned. Movie Habit
2.0
Its exceedingly pertinent and hugely tragic yet regrettably, and in spite of the intentions of this feature, its a poorly constructed piece of cinema. Hey U Guys
1.9
Surely none of those idiot American fundamentalist whackos would think the same thing! Film Freak Central
3.5
Nothing good can come of this, no matter how optimistic Iranians might have felt about the candidacy of Mir Houssein Mousavi, Ahmadinejads opponent. Oregon Live
3.2
Baharis triumph is real, impressive and relevant. Rosewater is a pleasant feature debut. Film School Rejects
4.5
Though he directs the film more or less straight as a prison/interrogation drama, Stewarts satirical edge cuts nicely. Film Ink
4.0
Rosewater is a fine debut film and a very well told story of injustice and strength. Ner Dist
2.0
As a comedian, Stewart is sharp and incisive; as a dramatist, hes by turns bland and tone deaf. Cine Vue
4.0
A modest, moving film, Rosewater goes to show that quiet outrage can speak as loud as any atrocity.Kicking up a stink.. Games Radar
3.8
Days after appearing on The Daily Show, journalist Maziar Bahari (Gael Garcia Bernal) was interrogated and tortured by a Revolutionary Guardsman he ni .. Kansas City
3.8
Stewart fails to intimately explore the emotion of Baharis imprisonment, often amateurishly doing a slow zoom on supposedly powerful moments. Red Eye Chicago
3.5
Rosewater is a decent enough film, but one that doesnt really tell us anything that we didnt already know. Stl Today
3.8
Rosewater is a reminder that America may have its critics, but at least theres little danger of the average citizen being arrested for appearing on a .. Stl Today
4.5
Instead, it digs deep beneath the surface to find much more resonant, and more important, themes. Contact Music
3.0
It is a serious film with flaws, but not a film with serious flaws.And it is anything but a vanity project. Hollywood And Fine
3.0
Unfortunately, the Iranian authorities dont appreciate satire any more than IS does, and the joke caption becomes damning evidence of Baharis alleged .. The Arts Desk
3.5
No wonder the GOP is so afraid of Iran getting its hands on a nuke. Patriot Ledger
3.1
But the laser focus that Stewart brings to his comedy is missing. Js Online
4.0
Like The Daily Show, Rosewater makes uncomfortable political realities into wry but uproarious jokes. The Dissolve
3.0
Its genuinely shocking when the funny, satirical film youd expect from a film by Jon Stewart emerges late in the first film by Jon Stewart. Metro New York
3.5
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: That the leadership of Iran has no sense of humour will not surprise even those vaguely acquainted with that Isla .. Sbs
2.0
Its an important story, and Stewarts personal passion for telling it is not only palpable and admirable, but frequently translates into emotional, eng .. Flavor Wire
3.1
Stewart, the popular host of Comedy Centrals hit series The Daily Show, shows real promise here as a budding film writer and director with a smart, cl .. Daily Herald
3.8
Its a good story about persevering, and using one of our most powerful tools to do so: humor. Crave Online
3.0
Like the characters, humour and drama struggle for space and supremacy in a tonal see saw that is earnest, funny, and strangely inert. The Skinny
4.0
Petzold builds the film to a stunningly executed finale that serves as a potent metaphor for the way the performance required by denial cant hope to s .. Scots Man
2.3
Its of little surprise that his directorial debut applauds the self sacrifice of people willing to seek and expose injusticehowever, a film valuing bo .. Under The Radar Mag
3.5
One does not combat totalitarianism through force of arms, but through force of will. Movie Mezzanine
3.0
Unfortunately, despite Rosewaters earnest and intelligent approach, it remains a shallow treatment of a topic that deserves much more. Or Lando Weekly
3.8
A finely wrought, powerful drama that tells the true story of an Iranian born journalists imprisonment and torture by the Islamic regime in Iran. Seattle Times
3.0
Stewart doesnt depict the imprisonment in graphic detail, but the duration does come across as debilitating. Fresh Fiction
3.0
It sometimes feels like Stewart is afraid to immerse us in the true horror of Baharis isolation. Seven Day Svt
3.5
A powerful true tale told with grace and endless compassion, Rosewater is an outstanding directorial debut. Concrete Play Ground
3.0
The regime didnt quite get the joke, and its just one of the reasons Behari is arrested a few days later. New Republic
4.0
You wouldnt have thought that a Sopranos DVD, a Leonard Cohen LP and a copy of Empire magazine would be enough to get you slung into jail. Sky
3.8
The fact that this material falls in his wheelhouse helps overcome some of the stumbling of a first time director, and its a solid debut overall. Columbus Alive
3.8
And Stewart can reap only so much tension from what is largely a two man show with the drama coming mostly from interrogations. Sf Examiner
3.1
Stewart treats them with as run of the mill docudrama fare, content to merely observe with his camera when it should evoke something more. Am Ny
3.5
Rosewater is an American production, but its perspective is more humanist than Hollywood. Washington City Paper
1.5
Taking the path of least resistance, the result is a missed opportunity, a lightweight approach to some very heavy material. Dark Horizons
3.0
The cinematography by Bobby Bukowski, especially in the confined spaces of prison, make this an accessible and watchable film.But nothing ultimately d .. Honey Cutts Hollywood
4.5
A compelling film that reveals much about the Iranian ideology, and the paranoia of its leaders. Kaplan Vs Kaplan
4.0
Jon Stewart, soon to be ex host of The Daily Show, makes his impressive feature debut as script adaptor, co producer and director with this powerful d .. Adelaide Review
2.0
The narrative is slow and boring, due to its glacial pacing, and its lacking dramatic tension. Impulse Gamer
4.5
Jon Stewart took time off of his The Daily Show schedule to direct Rosewaterso the Schmoes take a break from talking popcorn to review it! Schmoes Know
3.8
Rosewater marks the debut of a director whose brains and guts are the equal or the better of his eye and heart ... Film.com
3.1
But it truly is Baharis story.The scenes between the two of them are electric and unpredictable, managing to raise the films pulse at times, and forci .. Ut Sandiego
5.0
Garcia Bernal makes Bahari a decent, smart, but basically ordinary guy with nothing special to draw on to save himself. Bbc
3.5
The cultural revolution might be tweeted, with the strains of Leonard Cohen drowning out the rosewater scent of an historical piousness, but the digni .. Cinema Scope
3.8
Give the man credit: He has crafted a very watchable film that is much more even handed than you might expect of a hostage/prisoner drama. Buffalo News
2.0
Everything feels rigged, like a Rube Goldberg mechanism designed to drop us in a bucket of empathy and moral reflection. O Canada
3.0
The story is good, and Stewart lays it out engagingly, with a sharp eye for pacing and a light touch on the diplomatic complexities involved. Vogue
4.5
Added to the unholy mix of anti Muslim and anti Iranian chauvinism and support for humanitarian imperialist intervention is a healthy dose, just for g .. World Socialist Web Site
4.5
Jon Stewarts auspicious debut behind the camera not only makes us think and feel, but yeah, laugh a little, too. The guy cant help it. The Movie Minute
4.5
Rosewater, scripted and directed by Jon Stewart, is a work of skill as well as passion Arts Fuse
1.5
Stewarts comic genius fails to translate into film excellence in his first attempt as a writer and director. Haaretz
2.0
Stewart has made a confident entree onto the directing scene that demands to be noticed. Zaki's Corner
2.0
I am not sure what Americans will get out of this film, but there is at least one Iranian it left cold. Louis Proyect
3.0
The interrogations become repetitive: it is hard to maintain suspense when the outcome is known and the end comes abruptly. Dogandwolf
3.0
Bernals performance is captivating and Stewarts direction is adequate. Ladue News
4.0
Stewart handles this change of tone like a veteran director, never allowing the snide humor to undermine the gravity of Baharis situation. Franks Reel Reviews
3.5
Stewarts passion for the project comes out in almost every frame of film. While not quite the masterpiece I was perhaps unfairly hoping for, this dire .. ScreenAnarchy
3.2
View Caption Hide Caption Kim Bodnia as Rosewater and Gael Garc a Bernal as Maziar Bahari in Rosewater. Austin Movie Blog 360
4.5
Instead, its a solid effort with a powerful message thats cleverly conveyed. Sojo
2.5
Almost deliberately stripped of humour (and, incidentally, vigour), Rosewater is an odd choice for Stewart the satirist, a mushy, carefully sincere st .. National Post
1.5
The filmmaker resists milking the absurdity of the governments suspicions that hes a spy for laughs, limiting himself to conveying Baharis bemused inc .. Miamiartzine
3.5
And its a perfectly good but utterly unremarkable drama that wouldnt garner much attention if it werent the directorial debut of The Daily Show host J .. Complex
3.8
With Rosewater, Stewart proves he can pull back from the satirical comedy and become a thoughtful, incisive and questioning filmmaker. Entertainment Sun Times
3.5
A clear headed, sensitive and thoroughly impressive directorial debut for the Comedy Central host. Ap
1.5
Weak, uninspiring and tame, political satirist Jon Stewart makes a mediocre directorial debut with Rosewater. Central Track
3.5
But when it ventures into the more abstract territory of its tortured protagonists mind, the film is able to show how comedians can be unlikely heroes .. The Big Issue



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