Alternate Best Actor 2021: Amir Jadidi in A Hero

Amir Jadidi did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Rahim Soltani in A Hero.

 

A Hero is a terrific film that follows a man taking unexpected measures to free himself from prison due to his debt. 

Director Asghar Farhadi is one of the best working writer/directors today, in his crafting of these fascinating combinations between a plot driven film that somehow also feels like an extremely naturalistic interpersonal drama. One of the reasons for the latter I'd say is his way with actors, where it is rare there is a false performer featured in a Farhadi film even though he frequently changes his central performers, especially his lead performer. In turn we have a new Farhadi lead in Amir Jadidi in the role of Rahim Soltani. A man who we come into as a prisoner, though a prisoner for being a debtor. The first shot of Amir Jadidi as Rahim in a way establishes what will be the essential tragedy of this character. Jadidi presents what seems to the be the basic state of Rahim as wearing the brightest of smiles. As he exits his prison for a 2 day leave, Jadidi is beaming and as much as it makes sense given the man gets to re-enter the world, Jadidi's performance makes it a little more forced than just the natural expression. Jadidi rather presents someone who indeed wants to be happy and by joyful, yet also want to be perceived as someone likable and respectable best he can. Jadidi's work with just this smile hits just the right grey area even in this quality because while it would be improper to describe the smile as a true facade, it isn't wholly true either. 

We see this as we follow Rahim in his quest to try to in some way alleviate his debt held by his former brother-in-law, as he goes first to see his brother-in-law. Here's where for a moment Jadidi in his welcoming state is very endearing and sincere as it appears. There's an innate charm about that smile of his, but the moment his brother-in-law mentions his plight, Jadidi not only shows his face fall but there is also so much really emotional distress that appears so quickly. Jadidi doesn't show just a guy who can't think about this troubles sometimes, rather he's someone actively trying to hide them. What we do see though is a balance as we see him with his girlfriend Farkhondeh (Sahar Goldoost) who believes she's found a solution via some gold coins she's come across. The excitement in Jadidi's performance is tangible, but as tangible is the immediate disappointment when it appears that the coins will not cover his debt after all. We follow that as we see what is a very important scene particularly on reflection to try to speak to his creditor. We see him, with his other brother-in-law, approach his debtor though only finding his ex-niece Nazanin (Sarina Farhadi). Jadidi's interactions with Farhadi say so much, in the way they barely can look at her and interact in any way showing the damage done with what was his former extended family. This is only emphasized more when they call his former brother-in-law Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh), who refuses the lesser money and only berates Rahim further. Jadidi's reactions are powerful in the way he quietly internalizes all the frustrations as he withdraws from the scene. Jadidi effectively portraying such potent emotions all just within his downturned eyes and silence. 

What I think is fascinating about this performance is the way Jadidi's performance fools us as the viewer much as he does everyone else. This as Rahim decides to instead take the coins to find a way of returning though claiming that he found them not his girlfriend. The thing is you kind of wholly accept this plan, even if it fundamentally begins as a lie, really because of Jadidi's smile almost. As much as we have already seen him lose it, the way he returns that bright smile always whenever he can is a brilliant choice in Jadidi's performance. This as he shows the man who can present himself in a most charming way, and in fact it is easy to accept him in this most charming way ourselves. Initially then as Rahim is contacted in prison by the woman looking for the coins, we wholly believe him as Jadidi does convey a sincerity in the moment as he begs for forgiveness for the prison officials for sharing their number while still trying to explain his purpose. Jadidi's bright smile says much in terms of accepting Rahim's actions as honest, to the point one forgets about the inherent lie almost that established this whole idea. When it appears there is some greater inquiry from the prison officials towards his finding of a gold, as though it may lead to something else, Jadidi's performance is remarkable in the grey in which he plays the part. This as his hearing of the thought is with some sense of calculation in his reaction, Jadidi doesn't portray it as a simple "oh that's interesting" there's rather a bit more to it than that. 

There is a contrast to when the prison officials praise Rahim for the deed and Jadidi's performance reverts back to this more modest appreciation, no complexity in terms of Rahim's reaction, but all the complexity in Jadidi's performance that makes the whole thing much more complicated. Even when telling one of the officials the truth that it was his girlfriend who found the coins, Jadidi's delivery is this kind of soft peddle almost to ensure that nothing is taken too much from the revelation. This quickly leads to more exposure as the story is shared with the press and Rahim becomes the titular hero. Jadidi is great in the scenes on TV because he now is the hero. This as his whole presence in the interview is just of the most modest man. Even when explaining the story, which is technically a complete lie in that he was never the one who did it though he in the end did decide to return the coins, Jadidi's performance exudes this certain kind of honesty. The kind of overt honesty that one would find in a news story such as this, as it is too good to be true, though also too good not for the public to accept it as truth. Jadidi's smile becoming this face fit for television. This of the poor unfortunate soul mistreated by his circumstances and misfortune yet still did a good deed. Jadidi embodies this state so beautifully by being just too perfect in a way in these scenes. Too modest, too humble, too just satisfied to have his good deed be recognized as a good deed and requiring no further compensation... 

One good deed doesn't go unpunished however as despite so many, including the prison staff, wanting to give Rahim a second chance, his former brother-in-law, the man who matters most in getting him released refuses to believe his act was a charitable one. Jadidi's performance presenting still this ideal of the community hero. The man worthy of a certificate merit, and a job to help him pay back the debt. Jadidi's work however isn't simplistic and there are brilliant subtle moments within his "hero's" face, such as the unease when his son with a speech impediment is put in front of a crowd or when his creditor continues to question him. Jadidi is terrific in these moments showing so much bubbling still with the man. An anxiety over the uncertainty, but also even a sense of discomfort in becoming the hero with a story that isn't *quite* true.Things get more complicated when he comes to get a job that was offered to him through the charitable organization. Again Jadidi is great by bringing his starting point as just the brightest of smiles as he comes in for his job, a genuine excitement but again that specific smile that doesn't quite give the whole story of the man. Unfortunately the head of HR for the organization demands specific facts related to his hero's story to make sure that is true. Jadidi's work in just this moment of the accusation is pitch perfect in the quiet way his face falls into the negative emotion, losing the sense of the face of the hero, and alluding the man where nothing seems to go quite right in his life. 

We then follow Rahim in this quest to "clear his name" by trying to legitimize his story. And here is where we get to the true greatness of his work, though I have only been praising this performance so far, however in this Jadidi succeeds with quite the challenge in that he manages to be both deeply sympathetic while also incredibly frustrating. Jadidi on the sympathetic side of things is very endearing, and here wholly genuinely so, as we follow him just in his reactions to when it seems like he might have a lead to proving his story. The way we see the glint of hope in his eyes and just the appreciation towards those who can help him is powerfully felt. In turn the initial set backs it is hard not to empathize with Rahim do to the way Jadidi articulates the early sense of frustrations and speaks his pleas with just this potent need for any of kind of understanding from those who seem set on doubting him and never forgiving him. As more doubts come across his story though Rahim takes a questionable action of having Farkhondeh pretend to be the woman who lost the coins to prove his story, after the real woman not only disappeared but was also likely involved with some duplicitous act. What Jadidi's performance then portrays is this terrible downward spiral. The worst of the man's troubles coming out, and what is so painful about these scenes is how authentic they feel from Jadidi's performance. In each successive scene Jadidi depicts this man just quietly losing control of his emotional state. This as he starts just subtly showing the frustrations in his expression that overwhelm him more and more. 

 

Jadidi excelling in depicting the way the man is attempting to maintain a respectful tone then slowing shedding this delivery as he continues to falter. We finally see really truly what becomes this broken attempt at holding now a full facade of the affable hero, while Jadidi so artfully shows a man who is about to burst at any moment. As he lies more, to support his initial lie, his situation becomes only more dire in terms of finding his redemption. This only worsens however when he tries to go directly to his former brother-in-law about his perceived attempts to sabotage him. Jadidi is amazing in the scene beginning with this intense attempt at passively speaking to him, that slowly begins to burn within Jadidi's eyes. Jadidi showing so effectively this degrading state as he becomes more and more emotional, and less controlled. This as he loses slowly the attempt at being passive until he becomes fully aggressive and finally violent. What is outstanding about Jadidi's work in this moment is how wholly convincing he is in showing the gradual process of the scene of the man starting hat in hand and ending with his fists clenched in fury. Unfortunately we see the man that can only double down on his troubles as when the new developments lead others to question him, Jadidi shows more and more the bright smile is but a facade with the now anger and distress taking over every moment. This even when a prison official honestly wants to help him, though by exploiting his son, where Jadidi makes it disturbingly natural how Rahim resorts to violence to get the man to delete a video of his son, and shows in such terrible detail the man losing any sense of self-control when overwhelmed by his misfortune.

I have to say this is an example where a performance changed quite a bit on re-watch, not in terms of quality, but rather how I felt about Rahim as depicted by Jadidi's performance. The first time I was wholly empathetic towards his character and felt that he was just consistently wronged to the point that the stress of the situation got the better of him. And while on re-watch I still sympathized with him and found him quite heartbreaking at the end of the film where we see the man just stewing in this sense of failure as he awaits to re-enter the prison, on re-watch though Jadidi's performance actually ends up being this fascinating revelation of a man who actually isn't at all the "hero" not even in the sense that he's not the television version of the hero either. The film never explicitly states his motivations for returning the coins, and it leaves it ambiguous towards whether or not he did the act intentionally to try to receive credit later on or did just to be altruistic. The only written clue is the fact that he took the credit, where he theoretically could've just let his girlfriend handle the whole thing without ever involving himself. Jadidi's performance I feel is the answer to this. This as much as the former brother-in-law character is still stubborn, there is nothing that he actually says that should make one believe that he is lying about Jadidi's overall character. This as throughout Rahim proves him correct as Jadidi shows someone who charms first, let's you down second, and then self-pities last. Jadidi's performance portrays Rahim as such throughout, however in a way that the viewer is charmed at first, until he slowly lets you down, as you see the man's emotions get the better of him again and again. It is an amazing realization of a character by Jadidi with this element particularly how the film plays on reflection. This isn't to say that Jadidi makes him a psychopath, or anything, he just rather shows that Rahim is a deeply flawed man who falls into bad choices very easily and certainly is no hero.