The Kite Runner

Based on one of the most acclaimed novels in recent times, The Kite Runner is a story of friendship, family, forgiveness and redemption.

It is the 1970’s and life in Kabul is about to be torn apart by the invading Russians.   Young Amir and Hassan are close childhood friends. Amir is from upper-class Afghan society while Hassan is merely a Hazara servant.

After an exhilarating Kite flying competition, Amir commits an act of cowardice that is to have far reaching ramifications for all. The next 20 years is about his quest to forgive himself and to right the wrong. 

Directed with confidence and detail by Marc Forrester, The Kite Runner takes the audience on a 20 year journey from swinging Afghanistan in the 70’s to San Francisco in the late 90’s back to a devastated and Taliban ruled Kabul in 2000.

Forrester wonderfully captures the cultural shifts of the troubled country and its people, which I found enlightening and thoroughly engaging.

Shot in Western China because Afghanistan was deemed far too dangerous, the film’s production values are extraordinary. 

And all the casting is spot on. The two young boys are sublime, each bringing to their roles a truth and rawness so rarely seen in child actors.

Khalid Abdalla who played the older Amir was for me the cohesive factor in the film. He brilliantly carried the pain and shame of Amir’s past, never letting the audience forget. It is a haunting subtle performance.

The screenplay penned by David Benoff is dense & exciting. It comes as no surprise that Khaled Hosseini, the novel’s author, was closely involved.  This is truly a magnificent film.

I haven‘t read the book so I didn’t feel the need to compare.
For me this was a deeply moving cinematic experience that stayed with me for days 4.5 stars.