Is “Parallel Stories” a Hit? What Audiences Think of Asghar Farhadi’s Latest French Star-Studded Film!

Competing at Cannes this week, “Parallel Stories” is the latest movie by Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. He has created a remake of Kieślowski’s “A Short Film About Love,” featuring a stellar French cast including Isabelle Huppert, Pierre Niney, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel, Adam Bessa, and a brief appearance by Catherine Deneuve.

In search of inspiration for her new novel, Sylvie begins to spy on her neighbors across the street. Unbeknownst to her, the young man named Adam whom she hires to assist with her daily tasks, will turn her life and work upside down, as the fiction she imagines begins to eclipse their reality.

What do viewers think of Asghar Farhadi’s new film? On AlloCiné, the movie currently holds an average rating of 3.3 out of 5, based on 158 ratings and 31 reviews.

A Captivating Puzzle

The film charms with its puzzle-like structure and the subtle interplay between reality and fiction. Audiences uniformly praise the quality of the cast, with special accolades for Adam Bessa, whose nuanced and quiet performance is particularly striking.

Laure GC (5/5): “An intelligent, subtle film where everything is in the details. Like in ‘The Past,’ the characters are caught in a puzzle without all the pieces. Everything blends, clashes, breaks, or rebuilds around the characters. The cinematography is stunning, and those shifts from ‘real’ to fictional are so visually pleasing! And the actors… Adam Bessa steals the show as usual. His acting in his silences, in his looks, all nuanced. They talk about a star-studded cast, but if I have to choose just one standout, it would be him. I will watch this film again to soak in every detail and its layers of interpretation.”

Didbail (4.5/5): “A beautiful film about creation with dizzying layers and a luxury cast. The stories, not so parallel, intersect and enrich each other. A true joy.“

Nelly G. (4.5/5): “What a screenplay! The back and forth between reality and the imaginary. Initially, it’s a bit confusing, but then the film shapes up like a puzzle. It’s so well done. Hats off to the actors and the production team. Personally, I loved it.“

Lysiane T. (4/5): “Aptly titled. The thread you must not lose! A superb orchestration of parallel stories, all landing on their feet. A range of actors with flawless performances.“

Romain Brr (4/5): “A film that’s a true cinematic experience, well shot. A reflection on the powers of fiction and the falsity of fiction, ultimately more real than reality made up of pretenses and lies. And isn’t real life itself a fiction? (cf. Adam). (…)”

Complexity That Divides

The film’s length (over 2 hours and 15 minutes) and at times excessive complexity have divided viewers. Some criticize the narrative for being too convoluted, slow-paced, and with a plot considered too thin to justify its ambition.

Solène R. (3.5/5): “I agree with comments about the length. The film could have been under 2 hours and 15 minutes and still kept its flavor. However, the plot is intriguing once you get past the initial blur between reality and fiction. The ending is also well-executed. And the film is carried by its actors, among them Adam Bessa, the least known but who perfectly embodies his character.“

Mat Niro (3/5): “Having a seasoned filmmaker and the cream of French cinema doesn’t always make for a great film. ‘Parallel Stories’ is proof of that. Asghar Farhadi delivers a particularly convoluted story where fiction and reality blend. (…)”

Pascale M. (2/5): “Without the actors, the film would have been completely flat. Long and boring. I couldn’t see what the director was trying to do. Quite disappointing!“

Sylvie L. (3.5/5): “A high-flying cast… for a film that’s below sea level! Extremely long, slow, and a plot that has nothing to say. The kind of pseudo-intellectualism Cannes is known for.“

Dominique Valette (1/5): “2 hours and 20 minutes of total boredom in a dark, grungy, bleak film, lacking a plot, with actors far from their best. Frankly, this is the type of cinema that taxpayers should not have to subsidize.“

In Summary

The subtle interplay between reality and fiction is appealing, as is the top-tier cast. However, “Parallel Stories” does not win over everyone. Its length, slow pace, and convoluted plot bother some viewers. A demanding film that, for some, veers into elitism and becomes exclusionary.

“Parallel Stories” is currently in theaters.

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