WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
What are the truest elements that make us human? Perhaps that should really be queried more like “What SHOULD the truest elements that make us human BE?” While it’s completely understood that the diversity of attitudes, opinions, viewpoints, and overall behaviors that exist in this world ARE what MAKE us each the unique individuals that we strive to be, there still remains those particular aspects of how we need to be more aware of when it comes to interacting with our fellow denizens–mutually shared unity and kindness, EVEN when disagreeing, free of hatred and prejudice. In the face of these latter factors, can we make the choice to overcome no matter the cost? Immigration officer Ethan (Ashley Tabatabai) has his own personal battle to handle while trying to maintain the rigid and restrictive rules that his job demands. But, when encountering an Iranian brother and sister, Reza (Arian Nik) and Parvaneh (Ayla Rose), being detained due to an unsympathetic travel ban, Ethan must now fight his own conscious and his hardline boss Hank (Mitchell Mullen) in order to pursue the higher road.
Next, my Mind:
Individual strife and steadfast belief collides with notions of religious, societal, and cultural discrimination and its impact on basic human rights and interaction through this 27-minute indie short film from director/associate producer/editor Stefan Fairlamb, writer/director/producer Ashley Tabatabai, and associate producer/cinematographer Adam Lyons which paints a deeply effective, convincingly potent portrait of who we are or can be in the face of questionable decisions, supporting foundational kindness towards others, and our own individual place in a seemingly broken system. What needs to be contemplated is that the scenario we are given here is not supposed to be, in itself, anything to cause undue resentment or direct animosity towards the powers that be, but more to be a persuasive reminder of how those that DO potentially have agendas that enact or elicit unnecessary malice or perceived apathy towards fellow human beings need to be corrected, in my opinion.
In this context, which finds an idealistic immigration officer having to make choices that are born of his own viewpoints that clash with those of his superior all while being in the midst of confronting his own separate war outside of his job, the backdrop is set during the infamous 2017 Muslim-centric travel ban that brought about multiple dimensions of protest and questioning of rights when anyone coming from seven select, predominantly Muslim countries were detained and/or restricted while attempting to enter the United States. As indie film is so overtly adept at, what narrows this whole foundational concept mentioned above down is by focusing the narrative on two particular immigrants who are only looking to connect with family already here who are in need, a fully INNOCENT and UNDERSTANDABLE motive, but subsequently find themselves put upon by “the rules” being enforced solely due to their country of origin, with no further consideration given.
We can ALL attest that the current immigration debate, much less all the blatant, but wholly misdirected, unnecessarily all-encompassing hostility towards Muslims since 9/11, continues to be an aspect of our current national fabric in desperate demand to be treated with far more respect, due diligence, and constructive resolution as opposed to only allowing anger and prejudice to steer the course of our humanity when it’s FAR too easy to try and assign ANY form of blame or bigotry-driven actions on the WHOLE rather than JUST those who might actually BE ones to watch out for. The film carries such deeply stirring thematic weight in illustrating the often misguided idea of “trust the system” on top of showcasing such a candid loss OF humanity, decency, and COMPASSION towards others, which hence is precisely WHY a narrative like this remains essential and, this critic hopes frankly, inescapable so as to once MORE remind us of what HAS to CHANGE.
Additionally, the manner in which the film also chooses to paint a picture of how sometimes choosing the RIGHT THING can have a potential price to pay yet settles one’s conscious to satisfying degrees and therefore makes it WORTH the calculated risk is wonderfully executed, and promotes acts of selflessness to boot given the primary character’s own dilemma. It comes to a head with beautifully persuasive, emotionally-charged depth and resonance, leaving us with a finale that is both complete yet filled with plenty of conjecture as well. The range OF both sentiment and resentment even you feel while watching this likewise speaks to the quality of the film’s writing so as to immerse and engage you with absolute intent and definitive purpose, but again, without involving a sense of “preachiness” to the messages being conveyed. Yes, things need assessed and answered, but can we PLEASE do this in a more PRODUCTIVE way?? The project’s music score is also perfectly atmospheric, providing that apropos, underlying layer of affecting presence to events, yet not so much to be intrusive or overbearing in its design.
Simplicity reigns here, and as I almost always clarify in stating this, it is NOT a BAD thing when, in this case, it comes to the actor’s performances. Given this film’s story, it could have been WAY too tempting to OVERplay the magnitude of emotive attitudes needed to bring the points across. Instead, we are given magnificently suited acting that allows intensity without melodrama. We start with Tabatabai through his role as Ethan, a realistically driven, determined, steadfast everyman whose job as an immigration officer suddenly puts him in the crosshairs of obligation vs. crisis of conscious when becoming involved with an Iranian brother and sister trying to enter the U.S. to visit family in need. Under the immense pressures of an unforgiving travel ban and a by-the-book but still overbearing boss, Ethan also has his own volatile issue he’s dealing with personally while having to now make a heartfelt decision that could impact all he knows, questioning much of it along the way when it comes to what he is witnessing.
Tabatabai carries this unsettled state of being that the character faces with such an adeptly controlled combination of subtlety and high energy, utilizing not just the spoken dialogue but full body language and facial expression to deliver utter credibility and create viewer empathy for Ethan’s plight throughout the film’s runtime. He’s that hero of fairness and benevolence we all want to root for, and Tabatabai grants us this with poise and passion. We talk about characters we love to hate, and suffice it to say, Mullen completely embodies this through his turn as Hank, Ethan’s veteran boss who more than comes across as someone you DON’T wish to mess with, but in a manner that MAKES you want to simply punch him in the face. Having to deal with the tumult created by the travel ban in effect, Hank strives to run a tight ship and ensure the manifest they’ve been given to follow IS followed to the letter. But, in doing so, Hank’s own impatience, intolerance, and evident innate distrust of those being detained becomes evident. Can his mind be altered to believe differently? If so, what will it take to break such a hardened, albeit stressed-out, heart?
Mullen so deftly and with total, raw fierceness portrays Hank’s disdain for the entire situation, a credit to the actor’s talents in being able to bring about our response to his character’s unlike-ability while MAYBE finding a shred of sympathy and our desire that Hank MIGHT change. Nik and Rose shine here as well, playing the brother and sister detainees who ultimately form the core of Ethan’s story, Reza and Parvaneh. Only wanting to see their beloved parents, one of whom is in medical care, the abrupt manner in which they are detained and given no true kindness or explanation other than because of where they’re from, Reza’s embittered and forceful behavior is only met with further resistance and maddening insensitivity until Ethan becomes a potential beacon of hope. I loved the fact that Nik and Rose were equally so believable in these roles, coming across with the right amount of emotion their characters experienced without being over-the-top. It was that mix of exasperation, fear, uncertainty, frustration, and quiet but burning ire the situation creates that is successfully imbued into the characters by both actors so well.
Supporting turns are present from Helene Maksoud as Carol, a lawyer trying her best to protect the detainee’s rights while fighting for their release and better treatment, Emilio Doorgasingh as Ahmed, a fellow detainee who tries to calm Reza and Parvaneh in the holding room they’re sharing, Baxter Gaston and Walles Hamonde are two of Ethan’s immigration officer co-workers who are less hesitant than him to just follow the course of detaining those deemed unable to enter the country. Additional appearances are made by Emma Leah Golding, Rebecca Baker, Hossein Ahmadi, Keith Dickinson, Mike Archer, Iain Doorandish, Maria Connolly, James Underwood, Rik Garrad, India Thompson, and Louisa Maude. So, in total, “Hamdardi” is a potent proclamation about reexamining both our individual and national ideals, the forces in charge that can cause undue scrutiny and enmity towards those undeserving of it, the need for better, POSITIVE reckoning about how to handle issues of immigration and, most importantly, the consummate urgency to get back to SEEING each other as PEOPLE again, regardless of where we come from or where we desire to go.
STAR RATING (Out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
