Jamais sans ma fille

I have seen this movie a few times and in my opinion, I enjoyed it and didn't find it racist at all. This is what happened to Betty and her story.

Is she saying that this is how ALL Iranians are? No, just what happened to her. The movie didn't give Iranians all a bad name because who were the people who helped her to escape from Iran? They were Iranians. It was not like every single person she met in Iran was rude to her. She is just talking about her husband's family and the way they treated her.

Also remember this happened in 1984, twenty years ago. For people to compare Iran now to the Iran in the movie, it's totally different. The country has changed in the pass 20 years.

I fully enjoyed this movie and admire the real Betty's courage. As a mother myself, I totally understand her not wanting to leave without her daughter. I would fight to the ends of the world for my child and that is what Betty did for her child as well.

This movie may not win in terms of geographical accuracy or cinematography. However, the woman depicted in the movie is based on the real Betty and she is the writer of the screenplay.

I know many things about many different countries, which seems to be odd for an American. I have read many books about Islam, and ultimately I think that it is most often a religion associated with violence, especially against women. I understand that there are many modern, peaceful people who practice Islam, and I am of the opinion that they have adapted an ancient, oppressive creed to their modern progressive values in order to reclaim it for peace.

To anyone who thinks the husband is irrational, or unrealistic, understand that this movie is based on ACTUAL events, not fiction. I know as a woman, that there is no way I could ever safely travel through Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and many other places regardless of it being 2010. I feel it is sick and sad that these women are covered because the men in those places have not learned to control themselves.

I interact with many international students within my TESL program, and the only people who prefer to not speak with me or acknowledge my statements in a classroom have been Muslim men.

Culture is one thing, and trying to kill Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a dutch parliament member originally from Somalia, for making a film about exactly which parts of the Qur'an oppress women is another. Sadly, Islamic extremists did manage to kill her director, Theo Van Gogh, while he was bicycling in Amsterdam (not an Islamic country). I am proud of France for standing up for equality and banning womens' head scarfs in Governmental buildings because they represent the inequality of men and women which goes against their republic.

I just wish I could convince my public college to stop building prayer rooms and foot washing facilities for Muslim students using student fees. No religion should be getting state money for any educational facilities, and yet in Minnesota there is a charter school next to a mosque that is suing the state for not handing over funds because they violate state law regarding religion in schools (google Muslim school in MN gets state funding). They, of course, are not the only religion trying to get into schools. Many Christians would like to see their religion in schools again as well.

I have been following stories of Islamic oppression of women for many years with my mother. While I understand that there are MANY, NON-VIOLENT, MODERN Muslim people, there are still many cases of abuse against women and children by Islamic men across the world. There have also been many cases of Islamic extremists destroying artistic works, literatures, and other cultural artifacts that are not of their culture. This is fundamentally wrong in my opinion, as it was for death metal groups to burn down 13th century Christian churches in Sweden, (google Swedish church fire). These types of art and structures hold value to ALL MANKIND not just the people that made them. This is human history being destroyed!

I myself am of the opinion that MOST major organized religions oppress women, especially Catholicism, Lutheranism and various sects of Christianity in America. Buddhism didn't allow women to practice for a long time. I do believe that Islam may be the most oppressive religion to women overall.

In light of more recent works like Persepolis, this movie is not unrealistic, despite being tacky and poorly filmed. In Persepolis, the parents are very liberal and modern. The writer of those graphic novels lives in France despite having very liberal parents, and that says everything.

First, I would like to say that this movie pulled me in.. Akin to "Midnight Run" without the drugs.. they replaced the drugs with subservience.. Overall I thought it was a good movie!

If this movie is a true reflection of (Iran's version) Islam, I can't comprehend how any 'supreme being' can allow the total dominance of one human being over another!! We (as westerners) live (supposedly) in a world of equality and I have a hard time understanding how anyone can follow a religion that suppresses someone's freedom, to the point of slavery!!

This movie hit a cord with me, knowing what has transpired in the last number of years. With religions and beliefs all over the world battling against each other, (Jews/Muslims, Christians/Muslims, Hindus/Muslims, BinLaden/Freeworld)

I have nothing against Muslims, I have lots of friends that are Muslims. What I don't understand is how these 'radical' factions get away with what they do, without being castigated from their peers!!

"Can't we all just get along"

Cheers TheMovieWatcher..

I saw this movie quite some time ago and enjoyed it. It did not leave me with a negative image of Iranians, Islam or Persia at all. I saw it as a simple story of mother trying to do what was best for her daughter. Not wanting ones daughter to be a second class citizen in my own opinion does not warrant the hostility I have seen portrayed in the previous comments. Sally Fields performance was certainly good. The movie told the story from the wifes/mothers point of view. I found that the movie showed just cause why the husband would become disenchanted with the USA. I can completely understand why he would like to return to his home. After all there is no place like home. My sympathy however with the husband left me when I saw the deception he displayed keeping his American family in Iran. This movie, though flawed was well worth viewing.

This was on the Bravo Channel one night. The commercial looked quite appealing, and I figured I'd check it out. Mind you, my cup of tea is horror (check my review list) but I'm open to anything.

And boy, was I surprised.

First, I'll start with the plot. Betty, an American, and her husband Moody, an Iranian, live with their daughter Mahtob in America. One day, Moody overhears two fellow doctors at the hospital he works out making racial comments about him. He quits, and proposes to Betty that they take Mahtob and go to Iran for a two-week vacation. Hesitant and scared, Betty agrees.

And that's only the beginning. The life in Iran is harsh and Betty is constantly forced to be wary of her surroundings. But the real nightmare begins when she realizes that Moody doesn't want to go back to America, and she herself is trapped in Iran, and has to save herself and her daughter.

This movie is enthralling. Sally Field plays the role perfectly, and her character is someone you can't help but identify with. The helplessness of her situation is overwhelming, but to watch her struggle for an escape from her abusive husband (abusive in anger because she is trying to leave) and the rough conditions of a foreign country is even more overwhelming. Some of the scenes are amazing. When Betty's nightmare first begins, and she's begging for help from Moody's family, and they're all yelling at her in Iranian as she screams, "God Damn you all!" to them is one of the most intense of the whole film. And the ending is great. Not what you would expect. Well, it's not like something shocking, it's just subtle. But it will definitely give you so much pride to be an American, and you'll feel some comfort in being in this free country. All in all, I definitely recommend this movie. For anyone. You will be amazed. I was.