House of Sand and Fog   
 

Kathy Niccolo: Jennifer Connelly

Massoud Amir Behrani: Ben Kingsley

Lester Burdon: Ron Eldard

Nadi Behrani: Shohreh Aghdashloo

Connie Walsh: Frances Fisher

 

Directed by Vadim Perelman

Screenplay by Vadim Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto

 

Based on the novel by Andre Dubus III
It is a rare storytelling feat to be able to present both sides of an issue and create compassion for all the people involved without picking sides.  House of Sand and Fog is able to accomplish this with a lot of help from powerful acting performances all around.  

Kathy Niccolo (Jennifer Connelly), recently separated from her husband, is wrongfully evicted from her home.  Massoud Amir Behrani (Ben Kingsley) purchases the house from the county in an auction before Kathy has a chance to reclaim it.

Both sides here are legally right, and both have situations that create sympathy.  Kathy's only real possession is the house that was passed down from her father.  It is obvious that the last 8 months since her husband left have not been kind to her.  Behrani is a former Iranian colonel practically exiled from Iran.  In order to maintain the same quality of life his family used to enjoy, he now takes jobs as a construction worker and late-night mini-mart clerk.  He purchases the house as an investment towards providing better for his family.

After her eviction, Kathy befriends Deputy Sheriff Lester Burdon (Ron Eldard) who tries to help Kathy in her situation.  He is obviously blinded by lust and makes some poor decisions in his efforts to prove his new feelings for her.

It is no surprise that Kingsley and Connelly, two proven actors, shine here in their roles - giving powerful, subdued performances.  Connelly portraying a woman who sees life slowly slipping away from her, and Kingsley as a man who is finally seeing a way for his family to get out of the hole in which they are sinking.  Shohreh Aghdashloo does an excellent job as Behrani's wife, a woman who barely understands the new life they are forced to live, but ultimately puts all her trust in her husband.  

The movie does a fine job of developing the story and outlining each person's situation.  For people in this kind of situation, the decisions they make are not always the best.  Unfortunately, their choices are believable and understandable and that becomes the real tragedy.