Episode 21 - It Was Just an Accident — Justice, Revenge, and a Question of Identity | Fork Rating

In this episode of Movies I Give a Fork About, AJ reviews It Was Just an Accident, directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi who also co-wrote the film which was submitted by France for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards. 

This film is nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards, as well as nominated for Best Original Screenplay.

The story begins with what appears to be a simple accident — but that moment sets off a chain of events that pulls several people together and forces them to confront painful memories from the past.

Told through multiple perspectives and blending heavy themes with moments of dark comedy, the film explores how the actions of one person can ripple across many lives.

AJ discusses what worked, the film’s Oscar chances, and whether this thought-provoking international film ultimately earns a fork.

🍴 Movies I Give a Fork About  

Movies don’t get stars — they get forks.

Hosted by AJ Jones, this podcast cuts through hype, marketing, and awards buzz to answer one simple question:

Is this movie actually worth your time?

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts  

📸 Follow on Instagram: @moviesigiveaforkabout  

🌐 Podcast site: giveaforkmovies.com

New episodes drop when a movie earns a fork.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Movies I Give a Fork About, the podcast where we don't use stars, we use forks. Because not every movie deserves your time, not every movie earns your emotion. But when one truly does, that's when you give a fork. I'm AJ, and today's movie is It Was Just an Accident. I watched It Was Just an Accident This Week, and this is one of those films that really makes you think because the filmmaker has told it in a very interesting way. This film is nominated for two Academy Awards this year: Best International Feature Length Film, where it's actually the submission from France, and Best Original Screenplay. The film is directed by Jafar Bahani, an Iranian filmmaker who also had a hand in co-writing the screenplay. The movie itself is spoken in Farsi and it's presented with English subtitles. And it tells a really interesting story about how the actions of one person can ripple out and have a profound effect on many others. So the film begins with what appears to be a fairly simple accident. But that moment leads one of the characters to believe that he has encountered someone from his past, a man he believes tortured him years earlier when he was imprisoned. As the story unfolds, several other characters become involved, and we begin to learn that the same man may have had an impact on many of their lives. What makes the premise so compelling is the central question that the characters must wrestle with. Is this actually the man responsible for the trauma they experienced, or is it a case of mistaken identity? From there, the film becomes an exploration of justice, revenge, memory, and the long-lasting effects of trauma. All told through the dark comedy lens. The story touches on very heavy themes, including torture, incarceration, depression, and the psychological consequences of those experiences. What I found most interesting about this film was the perspective. Rather than focusing on one single character, the story shows how one's person's actions can create negative ripples across multiple lives. And the film explores that from several different viewpoints. And another thing that stood out was the tone. As I alluded to before, despite this very serious subject matter, the film occasionally slips into dark comedy and allows the characters to examine their situation through that lens. There were moments while I was watching where I thought, this is absolutely fucking absurd. And that tension between the seriousness of the subject matter and those small moments of dark humor makes the film feel really unique. This is definitely not a light movie, but an interesting one. And the ending, I know this is a spoiler-free review, but I love the director's choice of the non-verbal ending. Okay, circling back to Oscar Award, chances this film is nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. The screenplay nomination makes sense because the structure of the story and the moral questions it raises are really the driving force behind this film. Whether it wins in either category is another question. The international category is always competitive, and the screenplay category, the original screenplay category particularly, has some extremely strong contenders this year. So while both nominations themselves feel very well deserved, I'm not sure if this film will ultimately take home the Oscar. So the question becomes, is it was just an accident worth watching? And my honest answer is, it depends. If you don't mind subtitles and you're comfortable with dark comedy, dark themes, and the description of very violent moments, then yes, this is absolutely worth watching. But it is a subtle film in certain ways, and the subject matter is definitely heavy. While an interesting watch, it's probably not a film for everyone. So for my fork rating, it was just an accident lands for me at three forks. And that's today's fork. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show and share it with someone who actually gives a fork about movies. Until next time, watch boldly, judge honestly, and never be afraid to give a fork.