ARARAT (2002) - ♦♦

Directed by - Atom Egoyan

Written by - Atom Egoyan

Starring - Charles Aznavour, Brent Carver, Eric Bogosian

"ATOM EGOYAN is often concerned with themes of guilt and retribution. But sometimes, his ambition does come together in the most rewarding of ways, because of a certain unbalance in its creativeness, an unbalance that is sadly evident in ARARAT. 

The bulk of its story is told by a young Armenian male, interrogated by a customs officer on his last day on the job, and it revolves around how his life was affected by his involvement in a film production dealing with the Armenian genocide. 

It aims to illustrate the personal repercussions the genocide had on the everyday life of most of its characters, whether direct of indirect. But ARARAT is also confused in its dimension as a family drama. There is an excess of characters and individual development that is almost impossible to follow in an emotive way. 

The idea was to examine the subject from the perspective of different characters varied in their background, domestic conflict and situations. There is even time for EGOYAN to ask questions about the legitimate nature of other cinematic productions of works dealing with such delicate subjects. But it all seems rushed and uncaring, therefore cold and distant. Frustratingly, this also affects the impact of its driving themes, and makes ARARAT seem didactic rather than engaging and ponderous."

Drama, Canada/France