By Emily Griesenbeck, Staff writer
Not only does Jon Stewart host a great political talk show, but he is also an amazing movie director and screenwriter. When Jon Stewart came out with a movie, I was not expecting anything half as good as what I saw. His film, Rosewater, based on the true story of the journalist, Maziar Bahari (played by Gael Garcia Bernal), was riveting, revolutionary, and rebellious!
In 2009, a young journalist, Maziar Bahari, traveled to Iran to cover their elections. What he finds, and records, is that Iranians are rising up against “the dictator” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in favor of a more democratic leader, Mir-Houssein Mousavi. In the midst of all this, Bahari participates in a Jon Stewart spoof segment, where Bahari is called a spy, which subsequently lands him in solitary confinement for 118 days.
During his time in prison, Bahari is interrogated relentlessly by a man dubbed “Rosewater” for his familiar scent. Bahari is completely torn apart by Rosewater, but stays sane by seeking guidance from his Communist revolutionary father and sister. Stewart’s portrayal of Bahari’s time in prison is one of pain, but also a little joy and very Jon Stewart-y humor. We see Bahari lose all hope of leaving prison and returning home to his pregnant wife and loving mother, but we also see his ingenuity and wit guide him into some preposterously funny scenes.
Rosewater, I think, has the potential to become a film to guide revolutions because it shows the emotion of the Iranian people and their relentless fight for freedom. The fact that such a powerful and informative movie came from the hard work of the marvelous Jon Stewart is just the cherry on top.