neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Ten
	Abbas Kiarostami Mania Akbari, Amin Maher 2002		Coming from perceptive, widely praised Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami ("Taste of Cherry"), "Ten" is an anomaly. Not a true narrative, it's more of a Tehran "Taxicab Confessions," although there isn't a real taxicab involved. The vehicle that motors through "Ten" is a privately owned auto driven by an attractive, educated middle-class woman (Mania Akbari). She seems to spend most of her days chauffeuring her disgruntled, precocious brat of a son Amin (Amin Maher), plus friends, family members and acquaintances, around the city. Presumably, the title "Ten" comes from the number of trips that are shown, in sequence, to make up the movie. After an hour and a half of eavesdropping on conversations in the front seat of the main character's car, we get a greater understanding of her struggles and her progress in a society where women are expected to be subservient to men. Amin, over multiple rides, provides the most drama by repeatedly expressing anger over his mother's divorce and remarriage. Largely improvised and featuring amateur actors, "Ten" is a prize for anyone eager to explore the rhythms of daily life in modern Iran and a woman's place in that world.