An action-packed slog

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Did you watch :Gasht-e ershad (2012)-Gasht-e ershad 2 (2017) this are realy good just try it !

Not Iranian, nor Muslim, nor religious, all that makes I'm supposed to have a free open mind to see it, without prejudice, in any way or about... :) What brought me to see Marmoulak ? I don't know : the ways of God are impenetrable ! Kiding, of course, with not offense to anyone...Until now this is my first and only Persian movie I saw...and I enjoyed it a lot : good story, good acting, excellent music...It's a bitter-sweet comedy, about Reza the lizard, his short adventures in jail, and then a (may I call it like that ?) kind of involuntary redemption...Don't expect, if you're like me a western European citizen, to laugh very loudly, but to have a certain smile all along the movie...I mean, following Persian(?) commentaries it seems that depending on your national and cultural background, you will laugh more or less, very loudly.... I didn't... but nevertheless think it is an excellent movie.It doesn't deal with all the stupid clichés one might have about religion, (any of them) but present an profound human aspect of anyone trapped in something which was not chosen...Touching and interesting, I'm glad it entered my library ! Opposing to some comments, I think this good movie is Not only for Iranians...but if you are an average middle abc/nbc/cnn/fr1/ab1 television type freak, may be you better turn on your TV daily program...who knows, be careful, it could open your mind !***A film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles***

I, as an Iranian, think this is by far one of the greatest films I have ever seen in my life, and although you may think that I'm bias, I was actually born and raised in the United States. The move was a comedy, yes, it was funny, but that is a very minor element in this film where I think profound Iranian culture, spirituality, and decency was brilliantly portrayed. I have seen this move over 5 times, and each time I watch it, I am refreshed by the moving inspiration and profound subtleties of the film.This movie beautifully depicts the traditional outlook of mullahs (as well as the common traditional believers in Iran), and the universal spirituality of being a true believer. If this movie is merely interpreted as a jest to put down mullahs, or as a pure comical film of the trenches of disguise and deceit, then I feel sorry for that viewer's simplistic view. Well-done to the director for making this masterful film, and I'm sorry for the non-Iranians who will probably only get 30 % of the essence and meaning of this film.Lastly, this film IS prevalent and easily ACCESSIBLE in Iran, and it is on DVD.

It's rare to see a film that as much as it amuses, it also takes an angle on serious matters. These last fifteen years have seen a series of films flourishing out of the path of some very talented Persian directors, expressing their views on life, on people, on the political issues and so on, through an anthology of subjects that come to show with finesse things that couldn't be said otherwise. "Marmoolak" is one of those. Only here, the destiny of men and women of an entire country subject to the whims of its rulers symbolized here by one man (the fake cleric played with gusto and talent by Parviz Parastui) is shown not by the means of drama, but throughout comedy. And comedy is something that Persians seem to know about. To say that this film is funny is a euphemism. There is situation comedy here, and it is treated with much lightness. But if one goes farther and looks through it, one can easily capture the fate of an entire people. Works like this, in the form of a film or a book, etc, usually help change things. Let's hope this one does. Talent as they say, has no boundary.