Far from Home

Asinhisearlierfilms,thisuncompromisingIraniandirectorworksthroughrepetition,hisstylesounemphaticthattheslightestmodulation(thesameactionseenfromdifferentperspectives,forinstance)carriesacharge.Saless'camerasimplyfastens,inlong,uninflectedtakes,onthedailyrountineofaTurkishworkerinBerlin,aGastarbeiterlikeanyother.Weseehimathisjob,adedicatedprisonertohismonotonousmachine;travellinghomeontheunderground,whereonlyadrunkwilltalktohim;walkinghometotheshabbyroomheshareswithotherTurkishworkers,andwhereheocasionallywriteslettershomeandregularlycountshismoney.Thedeterminedausterityhasanalmostmesmericeffect;andseemsalmosttoocalculateduntilonebeginstofeeltheenervatingisolationofthesemortgagedlives.Forallthattheforeginworkertriestoengagewithhisadoptedcity(andhedoestry,inarticulatelybutwithaninnocentsingle-mindedness),hemightjustaswellhavecomefromanotherplanet.&quot;<br/>　　DavidWilson,&quot;SigheandSound&quot;