The House of Sand and Fog
Brilliant acting create a film worthy of an Oscar
By Rachel Cox
Commentary

“The envelope please. ...”

For those who haven’t heard the new buzz, you will more than likely be hearing of Vadim Perelman’s new dramatic thriller “The House of Sand and Fog,” based on the novel by Andre DubusII, in terms of Oscar buzz soon. Starring Jennifer Connelly and the legendary Ben Kingsley, this movie is one that touches audience members of every gender, race and frame of mind. It is a rare movie that for the first time in a long while dares to convey a message of hope for all mankind.

The central theme of the title ties together the main plot of the story with all the characters. The “fog,” refers to the main characters and the actions they take through the film. The fog describes the unknowingness and darkness that many of the characters feel when caught in situations that are very emotionally and physically draining. The contrasting characters, Kathy (Connelly) and Mr. Behrani (Kingsley), portray the fog that seems to cloud their thought processes. Connelly delivers a woman with a “gypsy” mood in the ways she chooses to live her life. She delivers yet another Oscar-worthy performance, as her character is one of vulnerability, mystery and grit. Paired with Mr. Massoud Amir Behrani, the two forces behind the film are sure to clash straight from the beginning.

Kingsley portrays a former member of the Shah of Iran’s elite inner circle. The plot’s contrast occurs when Mr. Behrani purchases Kathy’s mistakenly foreclosed-on home. After the movie unfolds and we can understand these characters and their lives, we can see that the “sand” signifies their ever-shifting lives.

These days, we see movies that try to convey messages of love, fear and a plethora of other emotions. How we choose to interpret and accept those emotions is up to us. With “The House of Sand and Fog,” we are given a plotline that begs the question: If the characters could have cried out to each other in the beginning, could great deals of heartache and grief be done away with? Even though the world is often full of tragedy, and there is always that family barely hanging on or that woman starting over from nothing, we must place hope in them, for their sakes and our own. Both the author and director have come together in harmony to create a very empowering and emotionally moving film.

This movie does an immaculate job of coming together to produce a true work of art that will hopefully touch many lives. The characters’ personalities and traits are so raw and powerful that it will be hard for anyone not to relate to the film.