The infatuation between Sheida and Vahid in The Souvenir of the South lacks vitality. While the writer seemingly attempted to craft a cohesive 1990s-style romantic melodrama, the story ultimately feels colorless. Its non-linear screenplay is poorly executed; the romantic and vengeful arcs fail to lead the audience into an intelligent maze. Instead, the fragmented storytelling feels disjointed, carrying the mere label of a non-linear narrative without delivering its depth.
Gone are the days when heroic tales of revenge captured audiences as they did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The romance in this story never fully forms, leaving only Vahid, portrayed by Vahid Rahbani, to shoulder the burden of the screenplay's flaws and misplaced narrative emphasis. Rahbani, an actor with proven technical skill, character-building prowess, and versatility in theater and television, fights valiantly to salvage this lackluster and aimless tale. However, despite his best efforts, he cannot fully embody the romantic hero due to the script's depiction of love as mere obsession, bordering on madness, which severely limits his performance.
The Souvenir of the South is a slow-paced film that paradoxically rushes through its pivotal moments, denying the audience the opportunity to engage with the story's twists and revelations. The underdeveloped romance becomes even less believable over time. Miscasting further drains the film's energy: Sahar Dolatshahi's flawed portrayal with a weak southern accent, a generic performance by Elnaaz Shakerdoost more suited to television than cinema, and Peyman Jamshidi's lackluster effort leave much to be desired. Among the ensemble, Saber Abar stands out with a polished performance-thanks to his meticulous attention to makeup, tone, and costume-though his character also suffers from insufficient development. Rahbani, meanwhile, admirably attempts to depict a passionate, unhinged, yet strong protagonist, but poor co-acting, an unpolished story, and flawed cinematography render even his efforts inadequate.
Stripping the film of its numerous players-Saber Abar, Sahar Dolatshahi, Masoud Keramati-wouldn't make much difference; The Souvenir of the South would remain the same lifeless film.
While the concept might have delivered an average screenplay, issues with dialogue writing, casting, exaggerated production design, and mediocre costumes and makeup result in a confusing and weak movie.
In the end, one can only conclude that directors Hossein Amiri Domari and Pedram Pour Amiri leave behind no lasting memento-of the South or otherwise-for the audience.
