I saw "The Stoning of Soraya M." in its theatrical release. As much as I really wanted to like this film, I couldn't. Yes, the world needs to be aware of the evil and oppression that is all too common in that part of the world. But the film simply isn't good drama. The story is too simplistic, and the characters are mere stereotypes. It tells the tale but it doesn't make me *care*, because it fails to make me *believe* in the people. Yes, such people exist, and they're historically interesting and politically interesting but not dramatically interesting. I applaud the effort, but I lament that the presentation doesn't have the impact I would have hoped for. Maybe this would have worked more effectively in the hands of a better dramatist, or perhaps as a documentary.