As a boy Amir was never the social butterfly; however he did have a strong friendship with Hassan, a servant to both Amir and his father. But when the unthinkable happens during a kite-flying tournament a major change in their friendship begins to take place. When the Soviets take over Afghanistan Amir and his father must flee to America. Now, years later Amir is forced to live his betrayal, but on one beautiful day a phone call comes that prompts Amir to go back home and attempt to make peace with both himself and his cowardice.
Through stellar acting, frame perfect directing and a story that will stir every emotion The Kite Runner soars to new heights, bringing the hearts of all its viewers along for the ride.
What really stood out among the numerous high points in The Kite Runner was the acting. Khalid Abdalla and Zekiria Ebrahimi turned in profound performances as the young and old Amir. Through their emotions, body language and delivery the audience gets to see Amir grow from a self conscious, unaccepted young boy to a confident, respectful adult. By the time the credits role Amir is both a friend and a foe, an enemy and an allies, and a coward and a hero, and none of this would have been made possible without the amazing work of both of these men. In addition Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada and Homayoun Ershadi turn in outstanding supporting performances as the young Hassan and Baba, Amir's father, respectively.
I also have to commend director Marc Forster. Most known for his work on Finding Neverland, Forster produces again as the film grabs every sense of fear, excitement and resentment through the clever use of the camera. We cry, laugh and anticipate with the actors, feeling one with them and really relating to each and every character. Forster should also be applauded for his success in accurately grasping the terrain of his shots. The landscape was captured and applied perfectly as the moods were set long before the actors ever appeared on screen. It takes a great director to make you feel something with no actors, and luckily for the audience Forster did that throughout the entire film.
With that said I get to tackle the most impressive part of the entire film "“ its story. Compiled from a favorite Afghan pastime, a life altering encounter, a sense of personal superiority, and a lasting sense of betrayal and cowardice the film covers all its ground while staying rooted in the main focus of the film "“ the effects of friendship. The story is emotional, moving and at time humiliating as we realize that we have all been in Amir's shoes, we have all done what he has done and felt the ramification of our choices. The story is intense yet soft, providing for a once in a lifetime movie experience.
In the end the film is outstanding. Combining a wide array of topics and stories the film is able to bring them all together and tell one intense, thought provoking film. Don't miss out on this soon to be classic.
