ARARAT (2002) / *** 1/2
Directed by Atom Egoyan, from his screenplay. Starring David Alpay, Arsinée Khanjian, Christopher Plummer. Running time: 116 minutes. This film is not yet rated by the MFCB. Reviewed on February 16th, 2003.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: Ani (Khanjian) is a consultant on a film being made about the genocidal campaign waged by the Turks against the Armenian people during World War I. Inspired by the film, her son Raffi (Alpay) goes to Turkey to seek out the ruins left behind by his people. Upon his return to Canada, he is confronted by David (Plummer), a customs agent suspicious of Raffi's story.
Review: In its examination of the 1915 extermination of the Armenians in Turkey, "Ararat" provides a valuable depiction of a terrible moment in world history. Yet it's an event that has been virtually lost to the mists of time: to my parent's generation it might ring a bell in the farthest corners of the memory, while to those of my own generation it will likely come as a new revelation. It's little wonder that history tends to repeat itself in such monstrous ways. But "Ararat" is more than just a history lesson. It's also a film about people in search of faith and meaning, and is powerful in its evocation of these themes. From the ideological journey taken by Raffi, who seeks meaning in the Armenian holocaust, to the more straightforward, identifiable question pondered by David of how to adapt to life as a retiree, "Ararat" operates on a number of different levels. Egoyan rises to the challenge of marrying two such emotionally-charged elements, jumping back and forth in time in a way that takes a while to become used to -- "Ararat" feels more like a book than a movie in this respect -- but never overly obfuscates the director's aims. With a wealth of believable yet striking performances to draw on -- especially from Alpay and Plummer, who approaches David in a marvellously understated manner -- "Ararat" is a superb example of Canadian cinema.
Copyright © 2003 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html
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