A 2006 Iranian film directed by Asghar Farhadi.
A young bride-to-be, Rouhi, takes a temporary job as a maid on Fireworks Wednesday, a Persian festival celebrating the New Year. The couple she is working for, Morteza and Mojdeh, are having serious trouble with their marriage as Mojdeh accuses Morteza of cheating on her with their neighbour, Simin, who has opened a beauty parlour nearby.
Beware of spoilers, as the film has a Twist Ending.
Fireworks Tropesday:
- Bittersweet Ending: Rouhi and her fiance are happy, but Mojdeh and Morteza seem to have a Downer Ending (although it really isn't clear where they will go from there).
- Chekhov's Gun: Simin's perfume. Rouhi learns the truth about the secret relationship when she smells it inside Morteza's car.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Mojdeh listens at walls and spies on her husband at work, hoping to catch him in flagrante delicto. She never catches him, but she is Properly Paranoid.
- Domestic Abuse: Morteza hits Mojdeh publicly when she spies on him at work. He gets called out on this repeatedly.
- Extremely Short Timespan: The film takes place within a day, during the titular Fireworks Wednesday in fact (well, it's actually Tuesday; the celebration itself occurs on the eve of Wednesday).
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Simin decides at the end that she and Morteza should end their affair there and now, because, as a divorcee with a child, she doesn't want to see the Samii's family, which includes a young child, to break apart as well. The Samii may ultimately break up due to irreconcilable differences nevertheless, but Simin's action is still commendable.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: Although most of the things that make Mojdeh suspicious have an innocent explanation (the buzzer actually is broken, Morteza really is going to work), she is still correct.
- Sickeningly Sweethearts: Rouhi and Abdolreza, the young newlyweds. Obviously made to contrast with the Samii's dysfunctional marriage life.
- Supporting Protagonist: Rouhi, while framed as the protagonist, only serves as the POV through which the audience sees the conflict between Mojdeh and Morteza.
- Twist Ending: Despite the fact that the film goes out of its way to make it seem that Mojdeh is crazy (and she arguably is), she turns out to be right.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Morteza's boss gives him a serious talking-to after he hits his wife.
- Would Hurt a Child: Mojdeh outright slaps Amirali when he continues to hide away and refuses to leave with her.
