Thoughts.com Blogs - "Persepolis"--Iranian animated movie review

Co-directed by Marjane Satrapi herself and based upon her graphic novels, "Persepolis" is a remarkably animated coming of age story about an Iranian girl by the same name who trangresses from a young child approximately eight years old to the ripe, matured age of twenty-two during the time of an Islamic revolution. It is told with black, white and grey. With hints of other colors and jasmine. With war and suffering. With Bruce Lee, Iron Maiden and Godzilla. With the French language and English subtitles(in the US, that is). [It is like watching Madeline cartoons. Though, I would have preferred that it be spoken in Farsi, the native tongue, instead.] Nominated for best animated feature, this surprisingly enjoyable drama(mixed with rebellious comedy) is a gemstone in the rough of the film world cluttered with low-budget trife and sexual excess. It tells a similar story without all the normal American indulgences yet with a dynamic youthful perspective and, at the same time, raw reality(showing the results of war, suffering and people's decisions).

Sitting in a French airport, Marjane begins her story in the 70s when, as a capricious little girl, she was determined to be a prophet and dazzled her grandmother with her spirit. She faces many deaths and hardships with her family in the following years while striving to remain independently minded. The loss of one uncle hits her so hard that she gives up on her religion and prophetic dreams. Government changes lead to the practice of making women wear the black scarves that are all too familiar now. When she first starts to get into rock'n'roll, her mouth and actions finally get her in trouble to the extent that she is forced by her parents to study abroad in Vienna. There, she struggles to fit in but eventually makes friends with German "rebels", or "outcasts". She promised Grandmother to be true to herself but gradually hides her heritage. She experiences a comical stage of puberty. During her time in Vienna, she experiments with drugs and relationships--with some embarrassing surprises. [There are a few moments in here that were surprisingly witty.] When everything falls apart(and what a spiral it is), she is forced to retreat to Iran. Back with her family, she initially falls into a deep depression and has an amusing session with a therapist. Her classes at school also become more amusing(especially her anatomy art class). But, at rock bottom, she has an epiphany--set to "Eye of the Tiger"--and snaps back into her rebellious spirit of action. With renewed ambition, she begins to wow the repressed populace and makes her grandmother smile once more. She finds love and--after some debate--gets married at the age of twenty-one. But, something designed to be so joyous turns out to be far from that. And, when that all falls apart, she is saved from another depression by her smartmouth grandmother before deciding to face up to divorce and move to France(which takes us back to the airport where the story began).

Marjane is my kind of young woman. She is shy yet spirited. She defends her beliefs yet humbly moves from place to place just wishing to find acceptance. She can be dynamic and dramatic with an extremely charming sense of humor and still tug at your heartstrings when she is sad. She takes action/makes moves in love(not merely upon the whims of those around her). [And, her "punkish" clothes in the late 80s/early 90s(I forget when she wore the outfit) weren't all that bad either:P A nice combo of the one-shoulder shirt and loose-fitted belt with mini-skirt and heels.][Although, her "beauty mark" was a minor distraction much like one of those horrific nose pins some women wear.]

At first, I had a difficult time with the French subtitles and the fast pace of political events. They packed a great deal into the first hour. Keeping track of time while emersing myself in the artistry(and chasing subtitles) was not easy either. But, once she reached puberty, things started to make more sense and were much more enjoyable. This film is a true flashback to many cultural references of the times(mohawks, punk rock, anarchy supporting youths, Bruce Lee, Godzilla, The Terminator). The animation is not modern day CG but is effective and impressive nonetheless. With less dazzle and whimsy, it conveys a more powerful and rich environment with very subtle shock and awe. Though drugs and sexuality are merely suggestive here, violence is much more prevalent. The local paper says that this is safe for children to see. I disagree. I would recommend this to anyone fourteen or older who has already become wise to violence and dispute between nations in the world.

"Persepolis"(named after the original capital of Persia, aka Iran) is a rare piece of historical drama and cultural comedy that bridges nations and decades. On that alone, it is has no competitor to date that I have seen. And, being of Iran, that makes it even more outstanding. [Though "Ratatouille" is generally more watchable by a wider audience(and thus deserving of the animation award for 2007), it does not have the rarity factor that this film possesses. Why would the former be included in the same category for the Oscars being voted/televised in 2008?] It is jam-packed into ninety-five minutes(which to me was rather short and could have run longer...though I am not sure where it could have gone). I place it right beside "Ratatouille" on my shelf(with an ever so slight margin of difference in rating) at 3.85 stars(along with "The Triplets of Belleville" and "Whisper of the Heart/The Cat Returns"). The margin of error/disapproval is very small(mainly from the French language, rushed subtitles and abrupt ending as the theater lights came on while the last lines are spoken), and I am tempted to push the mark up to a perfect four(as two of the minor difficulties could be resolved with additional viewings). Do NOT let this one slide past you without a look(especially if you have any memories of the 70s-90s). Support the diversity of foreign animation(not just anime). I personally hold it close to my heart as an amazing piece of art.

--reviewed by brainstormer
free-lance movie critic and participant in the Thoughts.com experience