User reviews

It was philosopher Hannah Arendt who wrote about the 'banality of evil': those who commit the cruelest acts can be the most ordinary human beings. This is impressively shown in the first chapter of 'There is no evil'. A perfectly ordinary man drives home, parks his car, helps his neighbour, showers, watches television, picks up his wife and daughter, goes shopping, etcetera. When he drives off to work the next day, he hesitates when the traffic light turns green. In the final moments of the episode, the viewer understand why. The shocking last scene turns everything that came before upside down. This is film making at its best.

The other three episodes deal, in different ways, with the same issue: capital punishment. Director Rasoulof is not interested in legal dilemmas surrounding the death penalty, he only shows the consequences it can have. He focuses not on the question if capital punishment can be justified, but on the moral difficulties of those who keep the system running, or who are forced to do that.

The four episodes are quite different. The second one feels like a thriller, the third one like a romance and the fourth like a mystery story. Sometimes the death penalty issue is presented at the start of the episode, sometimes it is only revealed at the end. The four episodes have in common that they are expertly and beautifully filmed. Rasoulof's style is understated and I think most western film makers wouldn't be able to show this much restraint, when dealing with a subject such as this.

The fact that Rasoulof has been convicted for making this film, adds an extra dimension to it. But apart from the political importance, in its own right this is a showpiece of cinematographic craftsmanship. Once again an example of superb Iranian film making.

This was some of the finest acting in film I've ever seen. Some of these scenes I felt guilty watching because I felt like I was actually there and spying on them.

Every act was thought provoking and perfectly executed. Some of the scenes were masterpieces of visual art. The girl standing against the wall of the house with her red boots blew my mind at how visually perfect it was and reminded me that scenes like this are not common in film making anymore.

This is the film to watch when you're tired of superficial films and want to watch something deeper with substance and fine acting.

I'll be looking for more from this director and these actors and actresses.

This is one of the best movies of this year. After denouncing the corruption system in Iran, Rasoulof targets the death penalty. He doesn't seem very bothered by the censorship or the jail sentence against him. The film is beautifully shot, and the stories are cleverly told, depicting four different ways to be a victim to death penalty as an executor.

Prison guards are prisoners themselves, yet they are responsible for their action, in a system that is brutal and oppressive.

Can people abrogate their ethical, humane responsibilities on the ground that they are just following the orders?

Oppressive system break people in more than one way, by denying their rights and forcing, "encouraging" them to conform and oppress others which in turn shatters their humanity!

So who is the evil? The system ( which is made of individuals) or those individuals themselves, with varying degrees of responsibility.

There is always a price we pay for "choices" we make, just as there are reward(s) for those choices. Conformity and making unethical choices, can provide some type of " security", but may not provide peace of mind or ease the pain and the consequences of those choices.

This is well made movie that explores the role of people in a repressive environment, the choices they make and the consequences of those choices in romantic love, alienation, separation, pain and guilt feeling. State enforced capital punishment ( provides the context for the story flow. With lovely cinematography, and a deliberate slow motion in some sequences for viewers contemplation. The acting is good, with emotions well reflected in many close ups. The director should be congratulated for being brave, as making such a film in Iran is not just about budgeting and casting and other tasks of film making, but also risking one's live and making a choice about consequences of such film making.

Modern day iranian filmaking,, this is a bold try,the message delved deep inside a maze of 4 loosely connected stories intoo a whole where regimecritizism is on the agenda. its a beutiful filmographic piece of the art, that may not reach a westeners expectations when viewing it, but its really a roar against the shahlalalalalalala( like the chorus in a bjørn eidsvaag song) shia government of good old persia, todays iran. its a very slow plotted movie, but i guess thats done with a great sense.

its a film about the nations 20 months military service, its about death sentencing, its about being locked up when doing your duties on others locked up, its about political refugees, and its about human relations of many levels, and its view on human rights.

in my opinion its the first part that make the deepest imprint on my mind, just compare the hypnotic effect of the traffic lights colours on the main caracter in this chapter.

the actors are just eminent in their job, dead natural over the whole line, and i really appreciate that the women may show their beautiful faces to the world, compared to other muslim countries. its just not a film for everyone cause its slow and its political, but if interested in iran and persian filmaking this is good stuff thinks the grumpy old man

This is among the top five movies that I have ever watched. The movie atmosphere is just mesmerizing and every scene just grips the audience. I truly hope that the story and its moral dilemma will be remembered for decades or centuries to come, and as humanity, we share more understanding and cooperation among us.

The four act movie is sincere, fascinating and a true work of art.

There is no evil is a first Iranian film that i saw in my life i must say that they have some good talent for filmmaking and this film in end was a good watch for me even if it is in some moments little to long and some parts of stories arent so interesting as the rest.Story was very deep in some kind of way and i felt how our characters are suffering and how they are trying to change something about their stale lifes.There is No Evil was a good film to watch expecely if you love foreign films or even just Iranian.

I watched "There is no evil" last night and I just can't stop thinking about it... the shock at the end of first episode wouldn't leave me... Definitely a must watch..

In general, the pace is too slow and the level in story line declines. To bad only the first story is surprising.

I tried so hard to like this movie, but I couldn't. The theme was forced unto the stories, the direction was sloppy, the music did not match the whole thing, and above all, if one's dad is the director, that doesn't make them a good actress.

The best and the more meaningful Iranian movie I have ever seen. Highly recommended

There is no evil in my life, there just can't be, as long as I don't let it in, however appalling the circumstances. This is the message I learned from this masterpiece so blatantly brute in its theme and so eloquently subtle in its portrayal. Although one of the characters is not forgiven, another will definitely be, and the fact that I know why gives me hope and faith in humanity. So go watch this instead of watching the news, and remember to make the right choice when you know you must.

Simple and Profound

Simple because you don't see fireworks all around. You don't see special effects everywhere.

You don't see excess stimulus.

Profound because you don't see the usual mainstream hollow type of movie, without nothing to say, without a story, only with the usual kind of 'come see the flashlights'.

Very good movie like it's difficult to find nowadays.

The movie takes you slowly thru the plot, without you noticing it, but it takes you in a impactful journey.

The stories seem disconnected at first, but somehow they are connected by an invisible thread that binds all together.

This movie makes you think deeply about it, even after you've watched it, and also raises some important questions about the responsibilities and consequences of our choices in life.

Great movie Recommend it to everyone.

Good story, great script and storytelling. Very moving storylines and interesting characters. The linkage between all four storylined does not seem too constructed, but reveals organically. The pace however is beyond slow partially. The last time i have seen a man in a car for such a long time was is "No turning back". You could easily save half an hour by editing without loosing any plot. Some scenes hold a perspective for a long time without that much effect. The acting is very divers from solid to below-average. Few scenes suffer from that and lack of credibility at times. This two critical arguments can take you out of immersion as a viewer.

This movie has plot twists that will make ur jaw drop and blow your mind, it's really very well made and you should definitely watch it and it's worth your while.

Really good movie. Just as the movie title is, that show us there is no evil. Almost Every decision has good side and bad side. You must decide what is the best in your opinion and do that way. Nothing is 100% wrong or right. And help us to don't judge people easily. Certainly worthy to watch. Highly recomonded.

Part one was very good, i really liked it, the actress played very professional, and sound is like neda yasi :)) Part two, not bad, i got depressed by watching it, Part three, nice shots, nice girl, weak story! Other parts, i felt sleep! Boring.

A memorable and very impressive work.

A deep film that is made very carefully. Execution is the main theme of this movie, which is beautifully designed in four episodes. Executioners are the main thread of these four stories.

Mohammad Rasoulov, a different and insightful Iranian director, is the creator of this masterpiece

The main challenge of this movie is where the viewer has to sympathize with the executioner. And the sentence "officer and excused" challenges how "honor" is involved with "duty" among the employees of the dictatorial system.

. This film can have a deep impact for every global viewer to have a better understanding of daily life in a dictatorial regime.

Kudos for the reality of what a hanging actually looks like. The body twitches for minutes during death, and often there is uncontrolled peeing. Not the quick & pretty sight typically shown in movies.

I liked the message of people living under despotic regimes to make some effort to stay in their countries and help change to a better, more humane, political system. Iran joins China, Russia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, and now Afghanistan in denying the rights of individuals for freedom of life. Disappointed in the U. S. political system for putting trade/money before the ethics of fostering change in those countries through economic pressure.

To me personally a very boring movie, does not deserve such a high grade