House of Sand and Fog

Adapted from Andre Dubus III's novel, and its subject is a single house. Kathy lives in the house left to her by her father. Because of an error over a tax bill it is seized and sold at auction. The buyer is Behrani: a colonel in the Shah's army in Iran, who fled with his family after the revolution and now works road maintenance by day and a shop by night. He buys the house to recover his family's former standing and intends to sell it on for more. Its strength is that neither of them is in the wrong. Kathy made no mistake; the house was taken from her unlawfully. Behrani acted within the law and this is the one opportunity he has. Both are right, and the outcome is still a disaster. Ben Kingsley plays Behrani, Jennifer Connelly plays Kathy and Shohreh Aghdashloo plays Behrani's wife. Kingsley and Aghdashloo were both Oscar-nominated. Vadim Perelman's first film, with music by James Horner. A strong choice for anyone who likes tragedy that understands both sides. For anyone wanting an easy watch, it worsens step by step and never leaves an opening to turn back.