This movie is dedicated to the memory of French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, who wrote the 1994 international best seller that served as the inspirational template.

This powerful and heartbreaking drama is set in 1986. A French journalist (James Caviezel from "The Passion of the Christ") is driving to the Iranian border when his car breaks down from an overheated radiator. While his car is being repaired by the local mechanic in the remote village of Kupayeh, he is approached by a woman dressed from head to toe in a black chador. Her name is Zahra (Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo from "House of Sand and Fog") and she invites him to her home. She wants him to tape record her voice as she relates a harrowing tale about her niece, Soraya (Mozhan Marno), who died the day before.

Soraya described herself as "an inconvenient wife" married for 20 years to Ali, a cruel and abusive husband. Ali, filled with lustful desires, wanted to marry a 14-year-old girl and sought a divorce from Soraya. Soraya refused because Ali didn't offer to provide financial support for their four children.

The phony mullah relayed the terms of divorce to her and even offered to make her his "holy whore." Meanwhile, the mechanic's wife died.

The town council forced Soraya to work as a domestic maid for the widower. Soraya saw this as an opportunity to save some money for her future independence. Her impatient husband didn't want to wait. He came up with a plan to get rid of Soraya. The charge of adultery may be brought if there are two witnesses to the criminal behavior. A blatant double standard exists. A wife carries the presumption of guilt and must prove her innocence with the reverse being true if a husband is on trial.

The title of the movie makes the eventual outcome crystal clear.

The magnificent performance by Aghdashloo is worth the price of admission. Her portrayal of a fearless woman willing to stand up for women's rights in a man's world makes an indelible impression.

Composer John Debney maintains a somber mood with a sad and mournful musical score. The mob rule and the thirst for violence in this barbaric public execution brings to mind burning witches at the stake in Massachusetts and racially motivated lynchings in the deep South. The whole bloody ordeal is drawn out over the last 30 minutes.

Besides her vindictive husband, Soraya's father and her two sons participate in casting stones. The horrific and unsettling ending will bring you to tears. It is difficult to watch the cruelty of this barbaric religious ritual where the victim is treated worse than a helpless animal.

The movie calls for a public outcry to put a stop to such uncivilized, inhumane and torturous acts of punishment.

After a debut at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, the movie won the Audience Award at last month's Los Angeles Film Festival. The dialogue is in Farsi with English subtitles. Opening Friday exclusively at the Glenwood Arts.

Review By:
Keith Cohen "The Movie Guy"