THE CHARMER
Denmark, 2017, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ardalan Emaili, Lars Brygmann, Soho Rejanejad, Austa Lea Jespersen.
Directed by Milad Alami.
The Charmer is a Danish film with Iranian interest.
The film also raises the contemporary issues of migration, migrants and their settling into new and quite different cultures, the effect of authorities supervising them, memories of their old country and relationships there.
The central character of this film is from Iran, has spent two years in Denmark, has been in a relationship which has had such an effect on the woman involved that she kills herself. One of the locals, her friend, wants to take vengeance on the Iranian.
The Charmer himself goes to bars, flirting, offering drinks, wanting to find a woman that he can, if not marry, be in a stable partnership and can prove this to the immigration authorities. The woman that he does encounter says she does not want to marry him for this purpose. She is attracted. He is attracted. She has a mother who was a famous singer and who dominates her. The couple has a rocky relationship, the charmer being charming but, ultimately, pursued by the vengeful man and treated violently, he reacts and his return to Iran.
There it is revealed that he has a wife and children, has been speaking to his father-in-law by Skype, has been sending money – but now has to reconcile himself to being back in his native country and making something of his marriage.
1. The title? The tone? The context?
2. The settings in Denmark, the Danish way of life, society, locals, Ukrainian migrants? And the end in in run? The musical score?
3. Esmail’s story, the audience meeting him, the experience of charm, his relationship with women, sex? The initial relationship? The focus of the woman, in the bedroom, going to the window, her suicide? The consequences? For Esmail and his conscience, his behaviour? For Lars, his friendship, his anger, confronting Esmail, fighting him, the wound?
4. Esmail, in Denmark for two years, the Skyping with his father-in-law, the words with his wife, the audience not knowing about his wife and children in Iran until his return? His sending the money?
5. His status, visa, the rules, going to the office, his being in a partnership, the mystery presence of the woman? His motivations?
6. His going to the bar, meeting with the women, the range of flirting, buying drinks? His failing, going home? Meeting Sarah and her friend in the bar?
7. Sarah, her personality, flirting, stating she would not marry Esmail for the visa? The variety of meetings, the attraction, parties? At her home, the help, Sarah and her mother relying on him? Sarah’s mother, her singing, her personality? Sarah frustrated, at home, the sexual relationship, drinking, her behaviour taught Esmail in company?
8. Esmail in himself, his age, experience, hopes? Sarah and the possibilities, her rejection? The gift of the suit, going to the party? His reactions, breaking the picture glass, leaving?
9. His return home, the family, his daughters, meetings wife again, the father-in-law?
10. His memories, but keeping silent on Denmark?
11. Issues of migrants, settlers, the Ukrainian migrants in Denmark, the old men and their memories and stories? Yet contemporary migrants and their feeling crushed? Return home?
