Beautiful City
An imprisoned young killer's friend launches a desperate campaign for mercy, confronting the human cost of justice and the burden of forgiveness.
Overview
A poignant exploration of redemption and the power of forgiveness in the face of tragedy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- somber
- tense
- compassionate
- quiet evening
- serious film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a powerful, compassionate Iranian moral drama, with particular appreciation for its emotional seriousness and performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Akbar's impending execution forces A'la and Firoozeh to negotiate with the legal system and the victim's family.
The effort to halt Akbar's execution depends on whether the plaintiff can be persuaded to forgive him.
The film uses an everyday Iranian setting and understated performances to explore imprisonment, poverty, family duty, and capital punishment.
A'la races to obtain consent before Akbar reaches the legally sanctioned date of execution.
Films like Beautiful City, and why
A Separation
shared iranian social realism, moral dilemmas, and emotionally restrained examination of forgiveness
The Color of Paradise
shared compassionate prison-centered drama and focus on justice, guilt, and redemption
The Song of Sparrows
shared minimalist humanist storytelling, ethical conflict, and ordinary people under institutional pressure
The White Balloon
shared contemplative drama about punishment, remorse, and the possibility of mercy
Movie Details
- Director
- Asghar Farhadi
- Release Date
- 2004-06-09
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (71)
Cast
- Taraneh Alidoosti
- Babak Ansari
- Faramarz Gharibian
- Ahoo Kheradmand
- Hossein Farzi-Zadeh
- Farhad Ghaemian
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Beautiful City about?
- An imprisoned young killer's friend launches a desperate campaign for mercy, confronting the human cost of justice and the burden of forgiveness.
- What is Beautiful City like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Beautiful City as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Beautiful City violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Beautiful City as mild.
- What did critics think of Beautiful City?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a powerful, compassionate Iranian moral drama, with particular appreciation for its emotional seriousness and performances.
- Which films are like Beautiful City?
- Films with a similar feel include A Separation, The Color of Paradise, The Song of Sparrows, and The White Balloon.
- How long is Beautiful City?
- Beautiful City runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Beautiful City?
- In United States, Beautiful City streams on Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel.
