Mafia Review
There are times when people bottle up dark thoughts and emotions within them, not predicting that it could eventually come out in unexpected ways. Mafia begins as a seemingly simple film about a group of friends that reunite and during this reunion decide to play a game of “Mafia”. As per the rules of this famous party game, each person is anonymously declared as either innocent or mafia and the goal is for the former to find out who the mafia are and for the latter to mislead others into believing they are not mafia. The game begins, loyalties are tested, and previous mistrust resurfaces, as the trip eventually takes a dark turn, leading to a shocking end.
Mafia is a suspenseful, thrilling experience. In its short run time of fifteen minutes, it continues to rise in momentum, captivating the audience through the beats of the game. Six friends compromise of the main cast, but the focus is only on the tension between two of them, Hamoon (Parham Gharavizad) and Jahan (Behzad Darbandsari), which is aggravated by Pooya (Mehdi Fahimi). While not much insight is given into the relation between these friends before this reunion, it is clear from the very beginning that Hamoon and Jahan have a complicated relationship. Whether it is Jahan overstepping Hamoon as he tries to speak to a girl, or his sly behavior during the game, it is apparent that their friendship is superficial. On top of that, Hamoon’s mental state is questionable.
In the first few frames before the rest of the friends are introduced, Hamoon is shown initially drenched in mud, and then staring blankly at the ceiling as he waved his fingers in the air. Parham Gharavizad starring as the main lead brilliantly portrays the loneliness of his character, that manifests in his awkward behavior. Even with his closest friends, his discomfort is apparent. Behzad Darbandsari as Jahan is also very good in his role. Jahan is the exact opposite in personality to Hamoon, so to portray this character, the conflict between the two characters had to be distinct.
Hossein Ataee handled the cinematography, production, writing, and direction of this short which was produced in 2018 but only released online recently. This is Ataee’s fifth short film as writer-director and his experience clearly shows in his grasp of the craft. He knows exactly how to build conflict by using the game as a backdrop for something far sinister. The characters are well developed and immediately identifiable with the viewer.
The only flaw with this film may be its ending and message, which aren’t fully comprehensible within the first watch and need a couple of reruns to completely understand. But once the idea of the film is understood, its depiction of the frailties of human nature becomes widely apparent. From the well sketched characters to the engaging conflict, this film is a must watch for anyone who loves dark, suspenseful dramas.