Beyond Paradise

It is an opening into the how love is perceived as a consequential emotion by many people through many cultures, rather than being acted upon with the presumed support of the family and community. MIsha Crosby as Ray brought such a dimension of realism to the plot, truly a fantastic performance. I believe the characters have interacted with each other in believable ways. It was also very refreshing to watch Max Amini's character, who plays a comedian, play through this film experiencing serious life and marital dilemmas, rather than hype up his comedic career and force a constant "funny man" character. Through the film, Rumi poems and implications are placed organically and help the viewer to sympathize with Shahrzad and her struggle coping between unrequited love and searing pains from the past.