this really be a film of two half . the first detail the life and friendship of two boy ( one a privileged pashtun and the other a down trodden hazara ) in late 70 afghanistan before the invasion by the ussr work extremely well . the young actor turn in convince performance and see afghanistan a it once be throw the present situation there into stark relief . the real problem come when we move into the late phase of the story where we join the pashtun a a man living in america . ancient debt to his young friend lead him to return to his homeland and it be really at this point that thing break down . the central adult character be clearly suppose to be sympathetic and but in fact come across a wimpish and wallowing in self pity . it be hard to really care for him and one can not help but feel that the really interesting story be the one we do not get to see that of his boyhood friend . once he return to afghanistan the narrative becomes bogged down in a series of highly contrive coincidence . most remarkably he manage to come across his childhood enemy after all these year almost immediately ( even though he be not look for him ) and despite the chaos that have since consume the country . this enable him to confront past demon in a way that be simply too convenient to be credible . the resolution of the narrative be also run through with an awful and mawkish sentimentality which undermine any really serious point the film may be try to make . although it be possible to start see character and the abuse of their life a symbol of a state which have be tear apart by world politics it be hard to really see this a a film which engage with any wide political discussion . instead the narrative becomes reduce to one character emotional journey of self discovery and healing . unfortunately this character be so dull and wrap up in himself that it be hard to really become engage in his story and while opportunity to make a really interesting film about afghanistan itself be waste .