Word: zahedi
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...prompted suggestions that the communists were coming, even though Mossadegh was as anti-Soviet as he was anti-British. On Aug. 19, 1953, after the deaths of about 300 people in street riots, the 71-year-old Premier was overthrown. He was replaced by a retired army general, Fazollah Zahedi. The American-friendly Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who had earlier fled the country, returned triumphantly, resumed the throne and reasserted his control...
...Zahedi's impotence as a director also affects the film technically. Never graduating beyond the realm of home video, the camera sits on a tripod or occasionally gets plucked off its stand producing a dizzying effect, only to bounce on the camera operator's shoulder, creating the horror of nautical nausea...
...crowning example of Zahedi's failure as a believer in Fate and as a director happens on Christmas morning. Bobby has brought presents for his family and crew. Having anticipated problems, Bobby bought three hits of the drug Ecstasy, (one for each family member) to facilitate the emotional healing he longs for. This blatant imposition of artificial emotions, much less real emotions, by introducing a chemical signifies his failure to believe that God will "send down a miracle...
People walk and stand in front of the camera which often focuses on nothing while the characters speak off-camera. Although Zahedi strives for a non-directional style, he shirks even the most elementary responsibilities of a director. Granted his crew, D., Greg and Steve, are accountable for many of these technical difficulties, but Zahedi seldom worries about the logistics of the actual filming of his movie...
While this touching end renews Bobby's faith, it does not provoke the same tearful emotion from the audience. It only punctuates the personal and irrelevant story Zahedi offers with an inaccessible emotion. Although this experience proves cathartic for Zahedi, he does nothing to add pertinence to his story. The characters have been too removed to empathize. He makes no conclusions; he offers no advice. In the end, we know he doesn't hate Las Vegas anymore, but who cares...