“Hit the Road,” (Iran, subtitled), January 16, 2023 (2021), DVD. This road movie from Panah Panahi, son of the brilliant Iranian filmmaker, Jafar Panahi, is much more than it seems. The cinematography by Amin Jafari is superb. The writing and acting are brilliant. We find them on the road, having already begun their journey. A family is travelling with their two sons, one young, loud, and wild, the other older, quiet and distant. They’ve brought their sick dog. The car is loud with the son and parents interacting, talking, arguing, and singing. But they’re going somewhere, and they can’t bring their cell phones. As with everything in this place that is never identified, surveillance is ever present in their minds, if not always in fact. It is Iran but it’s not. The tension is evident, the pain palpable, even if we’re not entirely sure what’s going on and why they’re going where they’re going. It’s hard to say more without spoilers, but they will not be the same again. See this movie and be patient as the story unfolds and the emotional drama builds. This one is really worth the effort.