Haunted by a harrowing past and faced with an uncertain future, Gholam gets involved with stranger’s demons to balance his own; but this time following it through to the decisive end.
Gholam is a slow but a powerful film whose pace extenuates every moment. Full of uncertain but timely reveals, Gholam is a beautiful reflection of hidden pasts and an inescapable sense of justice. Unable to separate himself from the conflicts in his past, Gholam begins a new fight in the present. Gholam excels at keeping the viewer in the dark while giving them just enough to keep them excited.
Shahab Hosseni does a fantastic job of displaying an unrelenting personal pride coupled perfectly with inner conflict and restraint. Unlike your typical Hollywood hero, Gholam approaches his mission with reservation and with an introspective outlook that is unique and incredible to watch. There are times where the low budget quality and occasional amateur acting shows up, especially in a pub scene towards the end of the film which feels more village hall than silver screen, but overall Golam is fantastic piece of film.
Gholam’s character is such that there’s little dialogue throughout the film, but what is said is always poignant and full of thought. At times it’s poetry, which makes a film that could potentially drag intriguing from beginning to end.
I would invite all cinema lovers looking for a revenge thriller find a way to watch Gholam. It may be taken in slow-mo, but it works.
