Rosewater

It makes sense that Rosewater is Stewart's first foray into film direction, given the way it combines so much of what his series, The Daily Show, explores: geopolitics, the absurdity of evil, and the real people behind political ideology. Here, Stewart covers the same ground with the same humanity and humor he exhibits in his TV series -- to overall success.

First, the film tells what could easily have been an overly intellectualized story with lots of heart, a reminder that the bluster of politics can drown out the beating hearts of the people it affects. Second, it does this with artistry -- there's a particular scene in which Bahari dances in a jail cell to a Leonard Cohen song, and it's resplendent in hope and transcendent in feel. But Stewart takes shortcuts, too, as in one scene where storefronts are electrified with Bahari's ideas, like a Daily Show segment writ large. (Another example: the ponderous rosewater references.) But there's no mistaking Stewart's sure, steady imprint, and for this, Rosewater viewers are grateful.