The Persian Version

Just Got out of a Persian Version Screening.

It Runs Well for a while and then round about when it gets to the mothers backstory, the wind is completely taken out of the sails.

I was watching it and I thought to myself "ok, I see what the Filmakers are doing, but this is taking far too long " and that segment just brought the film to an absolute standstill(in my opinion).

I think the Structuring of this Film is All Out of Whack. In other words everything in the film is there but it's all out of order.

Another thing, that very ending execution, with the naming of the baby, that was not done Very well at all. It was sort of like "I'm calling the baby so and so" - "Why?" - "Ehh just because". Lol, that's it? Where's the execution of this very important moment? 🤷

Things I did like -

1. I loved the 4th wall Breaking with the Freezing of the background characters.

2. I really like the sometimes playful Tone of the film.

3. Some of the Comedy really worked well.

Overall, the Structuring of the Film Hinders the potential for a Well Delivered Film, and the Very ending Execution is not good.

Based on the trailer, I was expecting this film to be a light, slapstick comedy. But while it had some good laughs and humor, it is actually a very deep and layered emotional story that had me tearing up multiple times. It's an intensely personal story, focused on the tensions in a mother-daughter relationship in a cross-generational/cultural divide. As someone born in American to immigrant parents, one of the things I really appreciated about the story is how it really gives the audience a deep view into the life of the mother as a young person and how she grew up to be the way she is now, shedding much light on why she deals with her daughter the way she does...something that I think a lot of films about immigrant families kind of gloss over. Highly recommended!

This movie is based on a very interesting story of an immigrant family and their transition from traditional Iranians to modern Americans. It is presented mostly through the eyes of a young writer, who is also the protagonist, and de facto heroine. Her life and her family's are really quite interesting and well deserve a movie to present them to others. The movie should be entertaining to those interested in the modern history of Iran, emigration to the US, and the changes within families after settling here. It's also a case study of how self involved parents can emotionally neglect their children. The acting of the mother character, both as an adult in the US and as a very young woman in Iran are strong points, and the actress acting the newly married young wife is excellent in her role.

Unfortunately, the first half of the movie is full of extraneous scenes that are more about the chaotic lives of 20 somethings than about the cultures. An example is an over-the-top female impersonator, with a British accent to boot. The overly rapid speech and unclear English diction in places were also handicaps. If you are somewhat bored during the first half, be patient, as the film gets better in the second half. Then, it starts to portray the heart of the family's story and their motivation for emigrating.

Overall, the tone looks like they took a fine story and dressed it up during filming with a lot of distractions, presumably to hold the attention of those viewers who need some fluff with their drama. By contrast, "The Quiet Girl" is also a film about a girl raised under trying circumstances, but it focuses on the story line, without much gloss. The Persian Version is like listening to a good story told by someone with ADD. You'll eventually get the story, but meanwhile you'll waste some time with their distractions.

I would have rated this higher, if the editing had focused on the heart of the story.

The writer may have been away from Iran for so long that she's forgotten the actual Iranian life. The movie is called The Persian Version, so I expected it to be relatable to the average Iranian immigrant, but it was not. The depiction of the family's life back in Iran is inaccurate, and the dancing scenes imitate Indian movies. The Iranian houses in the movie are not what typical Iranian houses look like. Their family of 9 is much larger than a classic Iranian family. Even the extent of their belief in religion and the savior did not reflect common religious Iranian beliefs.

For all these reasons I felt a disconnect throughout the movie. The idea for the movie was great, but I wish they would've worked more on their writing and accuracy.

I quite enjoyed this intergenerational story of an Iranian immigrant family trying to piece together their versions of the American dream and the misunderstandings that happen in between. It is essentially about the uneasy relationship between a mother and daughter; the rest of it often feels like informational dumps on Iranian culture (and heritage), but told through a lighter lens. Even in that regard, the film is fairly fun because it's either showing us vibrant frames, tackling a particular emotion, or making us chuckle. Some of it feels like flab, especially the scandal part of the mother's backstory, and it ideally should've gotten better treatment at the edit desk.

It makes all the sense in the world to appreciate certain performances, especially those of Niousha Noor, Chiara Stella, and Layla Mohammadi. While the two distinct labor room scenes have their significance plotwise, I wondered if there was any other way to put the same emotional messaging across, without them feeling repetitive. The second one comes off a beautiful moment of reconciliation indeed, and that's one reason why I wouldn't dive too deep into it. Also, the fourth-wall-breaking moments go just a tad too far. Regardless of however you perceive all of it, there's some fun to be had!