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Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marnò, Jim Caviezel, Bita Sheibani, Ali Pourtash ... see more see more... , Parviz Sayyad , David Diaan , Noor Al Taher , Haya Al Taher , Khalid Khan , Vida Ghahremani , Shima Poorsadeghi , Farzaneh Yazdani , Salti Hasan , Laila Qutub , Mizyed Azrai , Talal Nabil Morcos , Abdullah Shaheen , Vachik Mangassarian , Shukreyeh Thijeel , Fadela Rashem , Sabiha Faleh , Zoro Shaswar , Jalal Zadhaley , Arash Kaftoesian , Yousef Shwieyhat , Rami Hamati , Fadi Hamati

Director Cyrus Nowrasteh teams with screenwriter Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh to illuminate the dangers of religious fundamentalism, gender apartheid, and mob rule with this fictionalized adaptation of Frei... read more read more...doune Sahebjam's best-selling novel centering on a true-life tragedy. The story takes place in 1986, just as Khomeini is coming into power in Iran. Undercover French journalist Freidoune Sahebjam (Jim Caviezel) is traveling though a small southwestern village when his car breaks down. Surrounded by strife but left with little choice other to wait until his car is repaired, the anxious Freidoune is soon approached by persistent local Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who convinces him to follow her into the courtyard behind her home. There, she reveals to him that she has just borne witness to a most heinous crime. Just the previous day, Zahra had watched the men or her town stone an innocent woman to death. That woman was Soraya (Mozhan Marnò), long-suffering wife of abusive tyrant Ali. Soraya wed Ali in an arranged marriage, never realizing the horrors that she and her children would endure under her husband's heavy hand. When Ali requested a divorce so that he would be free to marry a 14-year-old girl, Soraya boldly refused, knowing that she and the children would most certainly starve to death without a husband to support them. Ali was too poor to return Soraya's dowry as custom dictates in a divorce, but he found another way out of the marriage. Under Shariah law, adultery is a crime punishable by death if the accused is unable to prove her innocence. Scheming with the newly installed, counterfeit mullah, Ali accused his wife of adultery. In order to ensure that she had no chance of defending herself, he blackmailed several male villagers to testify on his behalf. A tribunal was quickly called, and Soraya's fate forever sealed. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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86% liked it

5,964 ratings

Critics

55% liked it

80 critics

R, 1 hr. 56 min.

Directed by: Cyrus Nowrasteh

Release Date: June 26, 2009

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DVD Release Date: March 9, 2010

Stats: 710 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (710)

  • fb701560354
    April 16, 2011
    fb701560354
    The Stoning of Soraya M. is a film that every one should see. It is an extremely powerful, shocking, heart-wrenching and unforgettable film that looks into rural Iranian life, and the horrifying fate a woman might be forced into. Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marno and the rest of... read more the cast deliver superb performances that should have gotten award attention. NOTE: This film contains a long and very graphic, disturbing stoning sequence.
  • hunterjt13
    January 30, 2011
    hunterjt13
    The Stoning of Soraya M. tells the story of a woman whose husband conspires to convict her of adultery. The isolated village strictly follows traditional Islamic law, and as a result of her husband's conspiracy, Soraya is brutally stoned.
    The performances by Jim Caviezel,... read more Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Mozhan Marno are all quite strong, and it has been a long time since I've seen anything as blood-curdlingly sick as the stoning sequence. It is appropriately hard to watch.
    Despite how well-made the film may be, it never rises to anything more than a harsh polemic. Even a first-year journalism student would realize that the story, as it is presented in the film, is based only on one biased source, and she wasn't present at many of the most damning conversations. I haven't read the book, so I'm not in a position to truly doubt this story's veracity, but it was incumbent upon the director to present the story more credibly.
    Additionally, this event allegedly occurred in 1986; the book was published in 1990; why is it that the film doesn't come out until 2008? Gramsci might say that cultural artifacts "spontaneously" appear as a result of the then-contemporary political climate. He doesn't suggest that there's any type of conspiracy, but it does strike me as odd that this film finds a receptive audience during a time when U.S. foreign policy was rattling its saber at Iran and vice versa.
    Overall, this is a well-made film, but it's polemic as hell. You may find yourself agreeing with its political message, and to the degree that I whole-heartedly support women's rights, so do I, but Western audiences should be careful not to conflate what occurred in a remote village in Iran during the '80s with Islam or all of present-day Iran.
  • Tomassgringo
    October 21, 2010
    Tomassgringo
    A powerful story of what is the possible lives of many more than we realize! Difficult at times to watch, but worth the effort. Tells a story few know but many need to hear!
  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    Holy cow. This is one movie that isnt for the weak of heart. Once again I cannot believe what some people are capable of. This country should be wiped from the face of the earth...after removing the women and children, of course. I am not going to forget this movie any time soon
  • bbcfloridabound
    July 14, 2010
    bbcfloridabound
    A very disturbing film that shows the pitfalls of the Islamic religion, shortly after the fall in 1988 a man accuses his wife of adultery in order to be rid of her so he can marry a 14 year old, shows village corruption between mayor and so called religious leaders. Allah Akbar m... read morey ***. The movie itself and acting is worth 5 Stars. Question is to you have the Balls to watch it and learn the truth of what Americans call being tolerant. 5 Stars
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    June 10, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Not since watching United 93 has a film been so disturbing. This film is an account of the cruelty done towards women in Arab countries. Women in these countries if they commit adultery get stoned to death, a despicable and inhumane act. This film made me feel uneasy from start t... read moreo finish as by the end, you know exactly whats going to happen. The Stoning Of Soraya M. is a true account of a woman falsely accused of adultery so that her husband could marry a 14 year old girl. A hard film to watch, Stoning Of Soraya M. is an important film to watch as it exposes these despicable acts of inhuman torture on innocent women. An important film, The stoning Of Soraya M. will definitely make you think.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    May 18, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Don't act like the hypocrite, who thinks he can conceal his wiles while loudly quoting the Koran."

    A drama set in 1986 Iran and centered on a man, Sahebjam, whose car breaks down in a remote village and enters into a conversation with Zahra...

    ... read more="Century Schoolbook">REVIEW
    The movie is based on a true story about a woman being stoned to death by her own village. It is a powerful movie with a strong message. The movie is not just about a stoning of an innocent woman, however, but manages to capture some of the worst injustices toward women. Even though the movie is unpleasant it is a very important and necessary movie to see. If she had to withstand it, you can watch it. Women are being stoned to death even in this day because people refuse to open their eyes and feel compassion to those who are without their human rights. Go see this movie, even if it's unpleasant, even if you lose the illusion of a perfect world and a few night's sleep. A problem cannot be fixed if it's not acknowledged.
  • flixsterman
    April 27, 2010
    flixsterman
    "Don't act like the hypocrite who thinks he can conceal his wiles while loudly quoting the Koran" -Hafez

    Heart wrenching true story about an Iranian woman who was falsely accused of adultery and stoned to death. There should be a special kind of hell awaiting anyone who commit... read mores such egregious crimes in the name of God.
  • imrealgod
    March 14, 2010
    imrealgod
    Shohreh Aghdashloo may be a celebrated actress, but her performance was disastrous here & a constant distraction which I tried to overlook, but couldn't.

    Movie on the whole is watchable, the execution being quite ordinary. I won't specifically recommend it as it failed to live u... read morep to my expectations (I think I must admit here that my expectations were high since its supposedly based on a true story of miscarriage of justice & I'm a sucker for such movies).

    Mind it, I'm rating the movie here, & not its intention. Besides, I appreciate it if the intention was to let the world know what's going on in some remote corner, but don't we all already know it???
  • gator681
    February 18, 2011
    gator681
    In "The Stoning of Soraya M.," a French journalist's(James Caviezel) car breaks down in rural Iran and has it towed to a nearby village. He manages to persuade the mechanic with cash to expedite repairs, so he can reach the border by nightfall. In the meantime, he goes to a caf... read moree where he is accosted by Zahra(Shohreh Aghdashloo) who is dismissed by her fellow locals as being a crazy old woman. Regardless, she has quite the story to tell about her niece, Soraya(Mozhan Marno).

    Soraya, mother of two sons and two daughters, rejects a divorce offer by her abusive husband Ali(Navid Negahban) that would leave her with no money to support their daughters. He wants to take their sons to the city, so he can marry Mehri(Laila Qutub) who is 14. Soraya also turns down the offer of Sheik Hassan(Ali Pourtash) to become his sigheh(Temporary wife or prostitute, your pick.). Instead she goes to work for Hashem(Parviz Sayyad), a recent widower, to help with the cleaning.

    Based on a true story and getting bonus points for being filmed in Farsi, "The Stoning of Soraya M." handles its intense subject matter well with matter of factness in building to its powerful climax. And the graphic violence is as necessary as the early scene of Soraya at the riverbank in making sure we understand exactly how barbaric stoning is and that we never forget. In general, the movie puts the subject of violence against women under a harsh spotlight, not only in Iran, but all over the world. That's not to say this movie is not without its share of faults, particularly the ending and its fondness for filming billowing fabric. For the record, I'll file the journalist's fortuitous arrival under divine providence, contrasting well with the hypocrisy on display.

View All The Stoning of Soraya M. Reviews

Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer
July 24, 2009
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Whatever its dramatic flaws, and they are many, this is a movie that, in essence, is more than a movie. Full Review

Greg Quill
July 17, 2009
Greg Quill, Toronto Star

Despite some wonderful performances, the plot plods inexorably and with sickening predictability towards the inevitable conclusion, but nothing can prepare us for the actual event, which Nowrasteh fil... Full Review

Stephen Cole
July 17, 2009
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

Though The Stoning of Soraya M.' s heart is in the right place, its head is lost in storm clouds of anger. Full Review

Richard Nilsen
July 16, 2009
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

Although The Stoning is efficiently made, it is ultimately a cheat. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
July 3, 2009
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

A reasonable person might well add the issue to the agenda after enduring this at times unbearably violent agitprop drama, based on the true story of an Iranian woman stoned to death after being false... Full Review

Kevin Thomas
July 1, 2009
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Goes well beyond its angry didacticism and its specific indictment of men's oppression of women to achieve the impact of a Greek tragedy through its masterful grasp of suspense and group psychology, a... Full Review

V.A. Musetto
June 26, 2009
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

The film is plodding and simplistic. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
June 26, 2009
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

The sort of film that gets its strength from subject matter rather than artistic choices, this sincere but unsubtle drama will likely earn additional attention due to its timeliness. Full Review

Colin Covert
June 26, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

A riveting account of oppression, injustice and defiance. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
June 26, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

The whole movie marches to that same, sad rhythm of unalterable horror, illuminated by Joel Ransom's brutal and beautiful cinematography. The sum is difficult to watch. Full Review

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