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Review: Persepolis (2007)
This was an animated movie based on the life of an Iranian woman, with a big focus on the Iranian revolution. It was a good movie. It kept me interested despite the simplicity of the events that were portrayed.
Spoilers.
Story
The story covered Marjane's life from childhood to the time she left Iran seemingly for good. The culture of Iran changed radically in her childhood. She was exposed to political thought from a young age through her relatives who were imprisoned or executed for their political actions. Eventually, Marjane's parents sent her to Vienna for her schooling. She came back to Iran after a heartbreak.
In Iran, she took up her schooling again, fell in love again, and this time, got married. She had a divorce after about a year, and she left for France, this time for good. Her mother forbade her from returning to Iran again as she felt it was not a place for her daughter. The movie ended with Marjane leaving the airport in France.
It was a simple story, but it was comprehensive in a chronological way, highlighting the things that were most important to Marjane as she grew up. Things like her friend groups might not have seemed important, but in hindsight they were her support system at the young age she was at and they inadvertently led her to where she as.
Production
The movie was based on Marjane Satrapi's own graphic novel. I did a search of some of the artwork, and I think the movie did well in trying to replicate that style, though I do think the style in the original graphic novel felt more solemn.
The simple nature of the animation suited the story telling well. As I mentioned, the story telling was simple and so the animation did well to reflect that.
Characters
Marjane
I'm really only going to talk about Marjane here. Most of the other people came and went from her life. The thing that struck me the most about Marjane was how young she was. I was surprised when the movie mentioned that she was only 21 years old by the time she got married to Reza (whose name we only knew by the time she was getting divorced).
Knowing her age, the events of her life felt a lot wilder and more dangerous. Marjane was supposed to be living with her mother's friend in Vienna, but was soon kicked out and sent to a convent. After she had had it at the convent, she bounced around at various places before she ended up living with the philosophical lady. I assume she still would've been a teenager at this time.
I didn't expect this movie to show Marjane's romantic relationships, but after she went in-depth into them, I came to understand Marjane more. Even she thought it was silly that she'd lived through revolutions and wars and it was love that almost killed her. And it was love again that almost doomed her to a life that was not suited for her. Marjane's mother had mourned her marriage, and despite Marjane saying she knew what she was doing, the relationship fizzled out.
Marjane's parents were pretty supportive of her being free and independent, and that was why they were so willing to send her away from such a young age. That was all they wanted for her. As someone who can identify, I am extremely thankful for parents like these who just want their kids to have a good life.
Marjane's grandmother helped Marjane orient her moral compass. While Marjane's parents helped in developing her political inclinations from a young age, it was Marjane's grandmother who reminded her what it meant to be a good human. When Marjane returned to Iran, she'd taken advantage of the authoritarian state and gotten a man in trouble for just looking at her. While she'd laughed it off, Marjane's grandmother was disgusted at her for framing an innocent man. And when Marjane's relationship with Reza didn't work out, her grandmother comforted her, saying it was okay to realize you were wrong.
Themes
I think this movie was more about telling Marjane's personal story than enforcing a particular political position. While it's clear that Marjane was against the political structure in Iran, I think this movie was more about how that political structure shaped Marjane, than a commentary on the structure itself.
As for the name of the movie, Persepolis was an old Persian capital (according to Wikipedia). It is located in modern day Iran. My interpretation is that Marjane felt nostalgia for the old Iran of her youth. When she didn't want to leave Iran with Reza yet, Reza commented that she was still nostalgic for Iran. Marjane likely saw the old Iran as its glory days and hopes to return to that one da.
Overall
This was a good movie. It covered heavy topics, but it never felt too heavy. It was Marjane's life story, and she made it out of that life, and I think she presented the story in a way that made it easy to grasp and understand.
Spoilers.
Story
The story covered Marjane's life from childhood to the time she left Iran seemingly for good. The culture of Iran changed radically in her childhood. She was exposed to political thought from a young age through her relatives who were imprisoned or executed for their political actions. Eventually, Marjane's parents sent her to Vienna for her schooling. She came back to Iran after a heartbreak.
In Iran, she took up her schooling again, fell in love again, and this time, got married. She had a divorce after about a year, and she left for France, this time for good. Her mother forbade her from returning to Iran again as she felt it was not a place for her daughter. The movie ended with Marjane leaving the airport in France.
It was a simple story, but it was comprehensive in a chronological way, highlighting the things that were most important to Marjane as she grew up. Things like her friend groups might not have seemed important, but in hindsight they were her support system at the young age she was at and they inadvertently led her to where she as.
Production
The movie was based on Marjane Satrapi's own graphic novel. I did a search of some of the artwork, and I think the movie did well in trying to replicate that style, though I do think the style in the original graphic novel felt more solemn.
The simple nature of the animation suited the story telling well. As I mentioned, the story telling was simple and so the animation did well to reflect that.
Characters
Marjane
I'm really only going to talk about Marjane here. Most of the other people came and went from her life. The thing that struck me the most about Marjane was how young she was. I was surprised when the movie mentioned that she was only 21 years old by the time she got married to Reza (whose name we only knew by the time she was getting divorced).
Knowing her age, the events of her life felt a lot wilder and more dangerous. Marjane was supposed to be living with her mother's friend in Vienna, but was soon kicked out and sent to a convent. After she had had it at the convent, she bounced around at various places before she ended up living with the philosophical lady. I assume she still would've been a teenager at this time.
I didn't expect this movie to show Marjane's romantic relationships, but after she went in-depth into them, I came to understand Marjane more. Even she thought it was silly that she'd lived through revolutions and wars and it was love that almost killed her. And it was love again that almost doomed her to a life that was not suited for her. Marjane's mother had mourned her marriage, and despite Marjane saying she knew what she was doing, the relationship fizzled out.
Marjane's parents were pretty supportive of her being free and independent, and that was why they were so willing to send her away from such a young age. That was all they wanted for her. As someone who can identify, I am extremely thankful for parents like these who just want their kids to have a good life.
Marjane's grandmother helped Marjane orient her moral compass. While Marjane's parents helped in developing her political inclinations from a young age, it was Marjane's grandmother who reminded her what it meant to be a good human. When Marjane returned to Iran, she'd taken advantage of the authoritarian state and gotten a man in trouble for just looking at her. While she'd laughed it off, Marjane's grandmother was disgusted at her for framing an innocent man. And when Marjane's relationship with Reza didn't work out, her grandmother comforted her, saying it was okay to realize you were wrong.
Themes
I think this movie was more about telling Marjane's personal story than enforcing a particular political position. While it's clear that Marjane was against the political structure in Iran, I think this movie was more about how that political structure shaped Marjane, than a commentary on the structure itself.
As for the name of the movie, Persepolis was an old Persian capital (according to Wikipedia). It is located in modern day Iran. My interpretation is that Marjane felt nostalgia for the old Iran of her youth. When she didn't want to leave Iran with Reza yet, Reza commented that she was still nostalgic for Iran. Marjane likely saw the old Iran as its glory days and hopes to return to that one da.
Overall
This was a good movie. It covered heavy topics, but it never felt too heavy. It was Marjane's life story, and she made it out of that life, and I think she presented the story in a way that made it easy to grasp and understand.