House of Sand and Fog

SYNOPSIS

Andre Dubus III's bestselling novel is transformed into a richly textured tale of dreams and obsession in this heartbreaking drama from first-time director Vadim Perelman. Revolving around a formidable Oscar-nominated turn by Ben Kingsley, the slow-burning film tells the story of a former Iranian colonel reduced to working menial jobs in the US. Desperate to return his family to the prosperity they once knew, he spends his life's savings on the repossessed home of recovering addict Jennifer Connelly, only to come into tragic confrontation with the woman over the property. Drawing on his own experience as an immigrant, Perelman paints a vivid and moving picture of cultural alienation and desperation. Though the feature occasionally lacks balance, portraying Americans as largely unsympathetic and immigrants as vulnerable, it redeems itself by focusing on the emotional similarities between Kingsley and Connelly's characters. If Connelly looks too well groomed for her tortured role, it certainly doesn't spoil her overall strong performance, while Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jonathan Ahdout are wonderful as Kingsley's wife and son.