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Taste of Cherry

The hot, dry, dusty wind clogging your face, the bitter brutal sun streaming down the faces and bodies of workers surrounding the digging, sifting, and moving of dirt, and the massive machines clanging in the back ground, create the visual focal point of the story. Life is what we're all a part of, whether good or bad, we must succeed in the most positive way we know how or it can take us over in grief and despair, as it has with one man. This man wants to rid himself of the world, but in a twist, he wants to make sure his body lays resting in a peaceful and good place. His journey has him searching for just that person who'll help him with his final plans.

Mr. Badii (Homayan Ershadi) is a man whose quest leads him to many revelations about people and life while in his search for someone to help properly assist him in his demise from the world. Mr. Badii is not looking for someone to kill him, but rather cover him with the earth from which all good things come. He has already found his burial spot and dug the hole in which he shall place himself. Now Mr. Badii only needs to find the person who will help him. The interesting thing is if Mr. Badii is not dead, he wishes for the same hand that will throw the dirt on top of him, to take his hand and help him out of the grave, if he responds to his name being called.

Mr. Badii drives around town with a sullen face, yet he's intensely thinking about each move he's making. He enters an industrial site where many machines are working and people are easily in view. The first person to accept a ride from Mr. Badii is a solider who has been walking a great distance and is on his way back to his barracks. Mr. Badii has a way of retrieving information and using it to best suit his own needs. He explains to the solider, he has a job for him. He wants the soldier to come back at 6 a.m. to the gravesite to see if he's still alive by calling out his name. If no reply, he asks that 20 shovels of dirt be thrown on his body. In return for his service, the soldier is informed that he will be paid handsomely, but the soldier is not interested in Mr. Badii's plan and he runs away.

The second person Mr. Badii meets is a security guard. Mr. Badii asks if he is alone as he doesn't want to chance anybody overhearing him. The guard is alone because of the holiday, but his friend who's a seminary student is visiting him and resting on the grass nearby. Mr. Badii wants the guard to go for a drive, but the guard is proud and respects his responsibility and does not want to leave his post. Mr. Badii, knowing that he's not going to get anywhere with the guard, leaves and makes his way over to the guard's friend. Within moments he accepts the ride and waves good-bye to his friend.

Again, Mr. Badii does not get what he wants, as this student of religion doesn't want to participate in such a disturbing act against God. In an act of kindness the student asks Mr. Badii to join him and his friend over an omelet, but Mr. Badii declines and drives away.

Mr. Badii continues to drive until he stops to look at the machines working. He sits down, surrounded by the noise and heavy flying dirt that is clinging to his skin, as if he's rejoicing in it. Mr. Badii is soon asked to leave, for the machines cannot work where he is sitting. Back in the car, a man by the name of Mr. Bagheri has been watching Mr. Badii and takes a seat in Mr. Badii's car. This is the one passenger who clearly has more wisdom, confidence, enlightenment, and hope to share with Mr. Badii, as he tries to open Mr. Badii to a more positive way of thinking and dealing with his problems.

For Mr. Bagheri also wanted to take his life many years ago and told Mr. Badii that a mulberry saved his life. The tree in which he was to hang himself failed him and that is when he tasted the berries. From that point on, his whole outlook on life changed. Mr. Bagheri wants Mr. Badii to appreciate life, its colors, and tastes. For each season has a fruit and each day and night brings beauty. Mr. Badii brings Mr. Bagheri to his place of work at the Museum of Natural History where he works as a taxidermist. He says he'll be there in the morning for Mr. Badii, but his hope is that he'll be there to help him out of his dark spot.

The cast did a fine job with their roles, especially with the characters of Mr. Badii and Mr. Bagheri. Their passion made it very interesting to watch how they conversed with one another and what would come from those talks. Writer and director Abbas Kiarostami plays the elements of the desert, war, and religion closely together. Among all this, is the firm belief in one's life and that it should not be abused and taken so lightly. The strength of searching for the greater essence of life and keeping it positive, clear, and open-minded are the ways to deal with and solve problems. It's a true soul searching movie and its message is love yourself and fight every step of the way to enjoy and respect life.

Written by: Lynda Dale MacLean

Reviewers Rating: 7
Reader's Rating: 7.60
Reader's Votes: 5

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