‘Persepolis’ is an Animated Keeper
“Persopolis” is an entertaining and wonderfully drawn film, even if it doesn’t quite explore its subject matter deep enough. Animated in mostly black and white, the French film tells the story of a young girl growing up in Tehran during the Iranian revolution.
Based on a popular and autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, the film mostly is told in flashbacks by the main character, Marjane (Chiara Mastroianni), a once-idealistic child who eventually becomes disillusioned by a repressive Iranian government and her own encounters with love and loss.
As a small child in Tehran, Marjane learns about Iranian revolution and proudly shouts out Che Guevera’s name around her family’s apartment. She attentively listens to stories of resistance from her uncle and is filled with lots of hope.
As she gets older, however, her parents eventually send her out of the country in an effort to give her a better life. Marjane lives and goes to school in Europe and makes lots of friends, but not before getting her heart broken by men and becoming depressed with the world around her. Eventually, after 10 years, she returns to Tehran as a young woman and tries to establish a normal life within the constricts of Iran’s regime. Unfortunately, constantly faced with repression and failing at love, she decides to move to Paris.
The film explores some of Iran’s repressiveness in humorous and sad ways. However, it never explores them fully and sometimes, the film doesn’t know what it wants to be. Is it a coming-of-age tale of a young Iranian woman living in Europe? Is it a political film about the problems with Iran? Although I would have liked the film to have explored these issues further, I still think its worth a screening.
Marjane as a child wants revolution! (French, with no subtitles)
Marjane as a teen meets new friends in Europe. (French, with no subtitles)
Marjane as a young woman goes to her grandmother with a problem. (French, with no subtitles)
3.5 stars
***
Wayne’s star system
1 star –> avoid at all costs
2 stars –> watch on TV when nothing else is on
3 stars –> rent it eventually
4 stars –> must see before you die
“Persopolis” (IMDB)
“Persopolis” graphic novel (Wikipedia)
“Persopolis” movie extract 1
“Persopolis” movie extract 2
“Persopolis” movie extract 3
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