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Starring
Chiara Mastroianni and
Catherine Deneuve
Directed by
Marjane Satrapi
and
Vincent Paronnaud
Suener's Grade:
A-Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content
a review by Suener Carnahan
The Rundown
Persepolis is an animated story of a headstrong and outspoken nine-year-old named Marjane as she grows to maturity during the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The film begins with Marjane and her family carefree and full of life, but with the government growing more repressive, the family is torn apart, with loved ones being imprisoned, tortured, and some executed.
Quirky, refreshing
Having such a dark, true story be animated was so unexpected and really refreshingly different. Animation somehow got the feeling of what it was like for those going from freedom to a tyrannical society in a way that live action simply cannot. A lot of us know the story of the Iranian government and the attacks they experienced from Iraq. But this quirky animated film made you feel as though you were living through it along with Marjane and her family, feeling the frustration of being trapped and the hopelessness of the entire society around them.
When Marjane grows to adulthood, she is moved to Europe by her parents with the hope of freedom and education for their daughter. But she finds that the challenges of moving to a place where she knows no one and feels like an outsider is just as challenging as living in Iran. She makes a cast of different friends but never feels like she fits in, having the label of an “Iranian.”
I loved the originality of this film from start to finish. Visually interesting, the mood and storyline is unmatched.
The Bottom Line
For the most part, this is a solemn film, but did have some surprising laughs. I will warn you that this drags from time to time yet ends abruptly without closure. That will turn some of you off, but if you have an open mind and are in the mood for something thought-provoking and different from the usual blockbuster formula, then this is the flick for you.
To see the trailer and clips from the film, visit the film’s web site.
-- Suener Carnahan, suener @ movie-popcorn.com