Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) lives in a small bungalow by herself. Her husband left her, and she has just been evicted from this house for failure to pay $500 in taxes that she legally doesn't owe.
The house, left to her by her dead father, has been sold at auction to an Iranian family. Massoud Behrani (Ben Kingsley), a former Colonal in the Shaw's army in Iran, has bought the house to sell it for a greater sum than he paid.
Behrani buys Kathy's home for his wife, Nadi (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and son Esmail (Jonathan Ahdout) for a very cheep ammount. Now, both persons lay claim to the house. However, Kathy wants her house back. Now. But Behrani won't give it up. He won't even listen to reason. Kathy, in a heat of rage, pays a visit to Behrani in hopes of talking to him. A huge fight ensuses which starts a war between the two so-called "home owners" that is about to get very bloody...
House of Sand and Fog is more of tragedy than a drama and perhaps even that is saying too much. This film is a terrific exaple of the immigrant/native conflict which is present in many North American communities (even my own). Behrani comes to Amrerica for a better life but really belives that he is better than everyone else.
Ignorant and snobbish, he lays the following on his son:
Esmail: "Why did that man say we would be deported?"
Behrani: "I do not know. But we are American citizens. We own this house. They can do nothing to us now."
Esmail: "I feel bad for that lady, bawbaw-jahn."
Behrani: "The woman's house was taken from her because she did not pay her taxes. That happens when one is not responsible. Do you understand? Do not feel bad. Americans they do not deserve what they have. They have the eyes of small children who are forever looking for the next source of distraction, entertainment, sweet taste in the mouth. We are not like them. We know rich opportunities when we see them and do not throw away God's blessing."
The house is a crutch for both parties. For Kathy, the house contains last memories of her father. For Behrani, the house is a reminder of the important life he lead in Iran, and even his old home on the Caspian sea.
This house is that last chance for either party to feel normal again, and both want the house for that very reason.
Jennifer Connelly plays the very disturbed young women who doesn't have a great hold on her life. She is very forceful in her performance, never backing down from Ben Kingsley's taught, rigid Massoud.
Kingsley plays the former Colonal, sometimes violent Massoud firmly; at times, it seems he is going to crack under the pressure Connolley's Kathy places on him, but he doesn't. He stands his ground. Even when his wife tells him off, he stands firm. It's clear that he wears that pants in that family.
His wife, Nadi, is played brilliantly by Shohreh Aghdashloo. The character is subtle, and doesn't speak much, but she understands that something is wrong. She helps Kathy in her time of need. When Kathy realizes that lives are being destroyed over a house, she tries - and is too late -to save those same lives.
The story isn't laid out piece by piece, but rather step by step. Even by the end of the film we don't know what sill happen next, and that makes for a very entertaining, and ultimatly suspensefull drama.
Plot: 
Visual Effects:
Cinematography is well done which makes up for a lack of other visual effects and camera tircks.
Sound:
The score of the film is intersting; it tends to be subtle in some places and powerful in other places. But ultimatly, the score fits the mood of the setting fairly well.
Character Development:
In this character driven drama, we really get a feel for all of the characters involved in the story. In the end, we have great changes in the way the characters act towards one another, and in some cases, startling changes.
Atmosphere:
Like a good James Bond film, there is a small teaser to hook you into the film which will come back to play later one.
Realism:
Warren’s Rating:
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
8/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
06-02-05
