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What follows is a harrowing tale of conflict, desperation, and the human struggle for identity and belonging. House of Sand and Fog is a thought-provoking film that delves deep into the complexities of human nature and the consequences of our actions. In conclusion, House of Sand and Fog is a powerful and thought-provoking film that offers a gripping and emotional viewing experience. With its skilled direction, stellar performances, and compelling storyline, it delves into complex themes of identity, loss, and the consequences of our actions. Whether you’re a fan of drama or simply appreciate exceptional storytelling, House of Sand and Fog is a must-watch for any movie enthusiast. Behrani, an Iranian immigrant buys a California bungalow, thinking he can fix it up, sell it again, and make enough money to send his son to college.
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If we are keeping a moral accounting, then his is the blame for what eventually happens. It is fair enough to fight for your home and family, but not fair to misuse your uniform -- not even if your excuse is love, or what is spoken of as love. Lester says he will leave his wife and family for Kathy, and although maybe he will, he certainly shouldn't. There is a moment when they start sharing an empty cottage in the woods, and as he leaves, she asks if he'll come back, and then quickly adds, "I'll understand if you don't." Former Imperial Iranian Army colonel Massoud Behrani, who fled his homeland with his family, now lives in the Bay Area working multiple menial jobs.
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Connie advises Kathy that her only option is now to sue the county, though it will take months. Desperate for help, Kathy falls easily into an affair with Lester, who abandons his wife and children and fashions himself as Kathy's protector. Under a pseudonym, Lester threatens to have Massoud and his family deported if he refuses to sell the house back to the county.
Interviews: Jennifer Connelly on House of Sand and Fog - ComingSoon.net
Interviews: Jennifer Connelly on House of Sand and Fog.
Posted: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), who inherited the house from her father, is evicted for failing to pay a county business tax mistakenly assessed against the property. Colonel Behrani (Ben Kingsley) buys the house at auction, hoping to restore his family's fortune by selling it at a profit. There is much more that the movie will unfold to you, but although I will not reveal it, it isn't in the nature of a surprise plot development. At every step, we feel we are seeing what could and would naturally happen next -- not because of coincidence or contrivance, but because of the natures of the people involved.
Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly), a recovering alcoholic, has been living alone since her husband walked out eight months ago. She has fallen behind on the taxes for her modest split-level home that has a view, however distant, of the California shore. A gripping exploration of the American Dream gone awry, House of Sand and Fog is the story of two people driven to desperate measures to claim ownership of a house. It is only a small bungalow in Northern California, but to Kathy Nicolo (Connelly), it is the last vestige of hope for reclaiming a life that was nearly lost to addiction. When a bureacratic error forces her eviction, Kathy is left homeless—helpless to stop the house from being sold at auction for a fraction of its worth. Into the lives of these two blameless parties comes a third, Lester Burdon (Ron Eldard), the deputy sheriff who evicts Kathy but is touched by her grief, then stirred by her beauty.
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Vadim Perelman’s directorial debut showcases his unique vision and ability to bring the complexities of the story to life on the silver screen. Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly delivers a mesmerizing performance as Kathy Nicolo, a struggling homeowner caught in a relentless battle over her property. House of Sand and Fog marks the feature film directorial debut of Vadim Perelman.
Even as the conflict over the house escalates, Behrani, Lester and Kathy all hold on to compassion and decency, and even show signs of a willingness to relent. They seem to agree that no house is worth a human life, which makes the heavily foreshadowed final cataclysm especially painful and powerful. And finally there is a kind of love and loyalty, however strange to us, that reveals itself in the marriage of Massoud and Nadi, and must be respected. Massoud, having already spent money on improving the house, is unwilling to accept anything less than the higher value of the property, which the county refuses to pay.
Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die. The film poses profound questions about the nature of justice and the significant impact it has on individuals caught in its crosshairs. The film explores the transformative power of forgiveness and the potential for reconciliation even in the face of profound tragedy.
In a xenophobic rage, Lester locks the Behranis in their own bathroom, refusing to let them out until Massoud agrees to relinquish the house. Massoud offers to sell the house and will give Kathy the money in exchange for her putting the house in his name. Lester takes Massoud to the county office to finalize the transaction. Did House of Sand and Fog receive any awards or nominations?
It is based on the novel of the same name by Andre Dubus III.
Yes, perhaps, Massoud should agree with Kathy's public defender (Frances Fisher) and sell the house back for what he paid. But we know, from looking into his books (where every Snickers bar is accounted for) that he is almost broke. This is his last chance to keep up appearances for his wife and son, and to look substantial in the eyes of his daughter's new Iranian husband and in-laws.
Her last lifeline is the kindness of Lester Burdon (Ron Eldard), a sheriff's deputy who helped evict her from her house and decides to help her get it back. For Kathy, the house represents more than comfort and shelter -- more, even, than a link with her scattered family and distant childhood. It is the only source of stability she has, and the loss of it is like the breaching of a fragile sea wall, unleashing a flood tide of bad luck and self-destructive behavior. The house was left to her and her brother when their father died. The brother lives in the East, sometimes lends her money, is not sure he believes she is clean and sober.
"House of Sand and Fog" relates not a plot with its contrived ups and downs but a story. Abandoned by her husband, recovering drug addict Kathy Nicolo, living alone in a small house near the San Francisco Bay Area, ignores eviction notices erroneously sent to her for nonpayment of business taxes. Assuming the misunderstanding was cleared up, she is surprised when Sheriff's Deputy Lester Burdon arrives to forcibly evict her. Telling Kathy that her home is to be auctioned off, Lester feels sympathy for her, helps her move out, and advises her to seek legal assistance to regain her house.
Screenwriters Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto adapted the best-selling novel by Andre Dubus III, which was an Oprah Book Club selection. Michael London and Perelman produced the film, which is presented by DreamWorks Pictures, in association with Cobalt Media Group. As Kathy and Behrani's fight for the house escalates, Kathy finds an unlikely ally in the officer sent to evict her, Deputy Sheriff Lester Burdon (Ron Eldard, Deep Impact, Super 8), who becomes dangerously devoted to her cause. Caught in the maelstrom are Behrani's wife, Nadi (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and son, Esmail (Jonathan Ahdout). The new owner, Massoud Amir Behrani (Kingsley) sees the house as the fulfillment of the American Dream he has been pursuing since he fled Iran with his family years earlier.
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