Not Approved

The Stoning of Soraya M.

A drama set in 1986 Iran and centered on a man, Sahebjam (Caviezel), whose car breaks down in a remote village and enters into a conversation with Zahra (Aghdashloo), who relays to him the story about her niece, Soraya (Marnò), whose arranged marriage to an abusive tyrant had a tragic ending.
15
Negative Rating
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SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
0
Positive Rating
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FaithIntegrity

Dove Review

This is a difficult movie to watch, especially the ending. You basically watch a woman as she is stoned to death. The viewer vividly sees the stones striking her, the graphic bloodshed, and all the rest of it is there on the screen. Soraya (Mozhan Marnò) had been abused by her husband before this, physically struck several times and verbally abused as well. He has a girlfriend and wants a divorce and his plan is to blame Soraya for unfaithfulness and as the movie reveals, he is successful.

Although we see the destructive ways this event affects Soraya’s family, and the fact that it is difficult to comprehend that this practice still actually happens in parts of the world today, the film is too graphic for us to recommend it as a family-friendly film, and we therefore cannot award our Dove Seal to the movie.

Dove Rating Details

0
Faith

None

0
Integrity

Very graphic stoning of woman by her husband, a crowd, and even her two sons; very bloody and graphic and difficult to watch; husband abuses wife and strikes her several times; bruises are seen on a woman's chest; verbal abuse by husband to wife; human throws a rock at dog; a rifle is held on a journalist and he is shot at as he attempts to flee in a jeep; a corpse is wrapped up and left at lake;

3
Sex

A husband has been sleeping with prostitutes and has a girlfriend on the side and he is unrepentant.

3
Language

H-2; B-4; G/OMG-1; S-1; Dear G-1; Slang for female genitalia-1; The word "whore" used several times.

5
Violence

Very graphic stoning of woman by her husband, a crowd, and even her two sons; very bloody and graphic and difficult to watch; husband abuses wife and strikes her several times; bruises are seen on a woman's chest; verbal abuse by husband to wife; human throws a rock at dog; a rifle is held on a journalist and he is shot at as he attempts to flee in a jeep; a corpse is wrapped up and left at lake;

2
Drugs

Smoking in a few scenes.

0
Nudity

None

2
Other

The Koran is mentioned; Allah is referred to as God; a few characters lie.

More Information