Written and directed by Milad Alami, Iman and his family flee Iran and end up in a hotel turned into a refugee center in Northern Sweden. Iman maintains his role as family patriarch but he breaks promise to his wife and joins local wrestling club. Rumours spread, Iman’s fear and desperation begin to take a hold. Starring: Payman Maadi, Marall Nasiri, Björn Elgerd, Nicole Mehrbod, Diana Farzami, Ardalan Esmaili, Magnus Mark and Arvin Kananian.
There are undoubtedly many people out there like Iman (Payman Maadi), struggling with their identity both as a person and as part of a family, while being forced from their homes in search of safety, to a country that may likely resent their presence. It’s an almost unimaginable level of dread, fear and pressure, and it’s a package that Payman Maadi skilfully delivers in Opponent. He has proved time and time again that he can bring to the table intensity and complexity, even just through his body language and presence, and this performance is another great example. He’s enthralling and compelling, and leads this film excellently.
While Maadi’s Iman may take a while to open up, Milad Alami’s direction and the atmosphere which he builds quickly tells the tale of something deeper at work. You can feel a certain weight lingering in the background, a brokenness or fracture that’s waiting to pounce on this story. Alami has a refined touch, there’s a quietly bubbling quality to it, which is then expanded by peppering Opponent with stunning landscapes which speak to the vastness of the issues it explores.
Although, it’s a story that may move too slowly for some or that too little happens but Alami’s writing is very much about what isn’t said. There’s plenty to be found if you’re willing to peel back its layers, to see the struggle for each character that lies just below the surface. It plays to its own beat, it’s patient and tries to respect this story rather than scandalise it. That’s certainly one of its strengths, particularly in how it handles Iman’s relationship with his wife, Maryam (Marall Nasiri). Nasiri gives a fantastic performance filled with a mix of frustration, while Björn Elgerd brings a touch of warmth in such a cold landscape.
Opponent is incredibly tense, compelling and led by an exceptional performance from Payman Maadi. It’s grounded and pensive, letting all the complicated emotions build below the surface before they make their turbulent entry. It may move slowly but there’s plenty of layers to unpack, each only intensifying as time goes on. Making for a quietly affecting exploration of identity and family.
FilmCarnage.com 