A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

It is nearly nighttime in the Iranian city of Bad City. A youthful rockabilly type, named Arash (Arash Marandi](/actor/arash-marandi)), scoops up a stray cat known as Masuka the Cat. While heading back to his vehicle, he encounters a begging child (Milad Eghbali), who, devoid of hope, departs after stating he has no money. Meanwhile, a disheveled middle-aged man named Hossein (Marshall Manesh](/actor/marshall-manesh)) is glued to his TV. In a desperate act, he injects drugs into one of his toes, revealing his inability to afford the lifestyle he leads, which includes both drugs and women. His hefty-tattooed dealer, Saeed ([ominic Rains), cruelly takes Hossein’s car when he bemoans his situation, leaving Arash yearning to reclaim the car but arriving too late.

Later on, Shayday (Rome Shadanloo), an attractive woman who seems to be Arash’s employer, calls him over while he tends to some gardening. She appears self-absorbed, chatting on her phone about going out, and Arash, driven by financial desperation, decides to steal a pair of her earrings. Meanwhile, Saeed persists in flaunting his car in front of a nearby prostitute named Atti (Mozhan Marnò), with whom he engages in casual sex in a deserted parking lot. Unbeknownst to them, The Girl (Sheila Vand), cloaked in a hijab, silently glides past, catching the attention of Saeed, who dismisses Atti cruelly afterward.

As the night unfolds, The Girl steps into a convenience store, where her haunting eyes and enigmatic presence mesmerize a young girl who dances to music while applying kohl. Saeed, unaware of the lurking danger, encounters The Girl on an empty street. He invites her to his sleek apartment, where he revels in his superficial lifestyle, snorting cocaine and showcasing his physique. Despite his overtly aggressive behavior, their interaction takes a lethal turn when The Girl reveals her true nature by biting off his finger before feeding on him, leaving Saeed lifeless and the apartment awash in blood.

Outside, Arash, unaware of the grim events, attempts to barter the stolen earrings for his car back by leaving a message on Saeed’s answering machine. Little does he know, The Girl has listened to the communication before exiting the apartment, her presence lingering in the air. Upon discovering Saeed’s body shortly after, Arash snatches the car keys and stumbles upon stark remnants of Saeed’s vices—cocaine and a firearm. At home, his father, Hossein, castigates him for his existence, while their cat watches helplessly over their crumbling lives.

With pollution from oil drilling marring the landscape, Arash resorts to selling the materials from Saeed’s body to pay off his debts. Tensions mount as Hossein struggles with addiction, haunted by Masuka’s silent gaze. Following a mysterious encounter with The Girl who ominously threatens a local beggar, Arash finds himself falling deeper into a world of despair and desperation as remnants of his childhood blends with encounters that scratch the surface of his complicated life.

At a disco party dressed as Dracula, he hopelessly pursues a connection with a woman named Shirin (Ana Lily Amirpour), but she rebuffs his advances. Concurrently, the atmospheric presence of The Girl looms over him, silently observing. As their lives intertwine, it becomes abundantly clear that the struggle for survival in Bad City manifests itself uniquely in each character, especially as Arash and The Girl exchange glances that hint at their inevitable connection. She guides him to her home, and amidst a backdrop of vibrant music and fleeting moments, they give in to their desires, absent from judgment.

Days of tumult pass, internal conflicts arise, and a stray dog crosses paths with lingering questions from a past encounter. Tension crescendoes as Hossein spirals into chaos, blaming the lost memories of his wife. The spiraling journey leads Arash to confront the reality of his father’s addiction-driven demise and simultaneously his burgeoning relationship with The Girl.

In a transformative encounter, Arash attempts to pry The Girl from her haunting existence, beckoning her to leave city confines. However, amid feelings of betrayal and loss, he realizes it’s not just his life hanging in the balance. Navigating through their tragic lives, they merge paths as they vow to escape, leaving the remnants of Bad City behind. As they travel under the dim light of reality, their shared journey becomes a poignant symphony of love intertwined with loss, choosing to drive towards the unknown. “It’s time to leave,” they whisper, as the sounds of Arabic music envelop them in a bittersweet farewell, holding on to memories yet to be created.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 18:00