Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Writer: Maryam Keshavarz
Stars: Layla Mohammadi, Niousha Noor, Arty Froushan
Synopsis: When a large Iranian-American family gathers, a family secret is uncovered that catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past, and to discover they are more alike than they know.
This piece was published during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
As soon as The Persian Version opens, its energy never dials down. The movie consistently jumps from one scene to the next, with a frenetic pace that is oftentimes engaging but can, in certain moments, feel extremely overwhelming. Writer/director Maryam Keshavarz helms the movie with confidence, immediately setting the tone for the wild ride audiences will embark on, going back and forth from the past and present, whilst also having Leila (Layla Mohammadi) and Shireen (Niousha Noor) consistently break the fourth wall.
At its core, The Persian Version is about Leila’s relationship with her mother, who has always appeared stern and difficult towards her daughter, but there is a reason for these actions Leila will eventually discover why that is, which will become The Persian Version’s emotional core. The film was marketed, through its trailers, as a coming-of-age comedy in which Leila surprisingly gets pregnant and deals with this newfound event in her tumultuous life while her father (Bijan Daneshmand) is ill in the hospital. But that’s not what the movie is about. It mainly focuses on Leila’s connections with Shireen and how their past lives will eventually coalesce together so they can reconcile and hope for a brighter and happier future.
It does take a while to get into the movie’s groove, but once it finds its footing, The Persian Version is a highly enjoyable dramedy bolstered by two incredible performances from Mohammadi and Noor. The unfortunate (and fundamental) problem with The Persian Version lies in its editing, where the consistent back and forth between the past and present feels jarring and discombobulating. There are times in which Keshavarz directly tells us which time period this event is set, but there are also many sequences in which it’s hard to discern whether or not it’s set in the past or present.
It makes the movie’s overall presentation feel daunting, with the audience frequently picking up the puzzle pieces and figuring out exactly who it’s following and in which period it’s set.
Sometimes, it’s easy, as we see younger versions of Leila and Shireen. But there are many times in which it overcomplicates itself instead of dialing down on its flashier aesthetics. Boldly affirming yourself as an artist through pure maximalism is always welcomed, though even the best wall-to-wall pieces know when to stop a bit for the emotions to weave in naturally and when to go all in. Keshavarz, unfortunately, has a hard time figuring out these pieces, and, as a result, the film never really finds its flow until the second act, where it starts to calm down just a smidge.
But then the story is flipped, and Shireen starts breaking the fourth wall. It becomes even more confusing as the movie now attempts to create two narrative threads with the same exhausting rhythm. It never really knows when to stop, which is a shame. However, when some more emotional sequences arrive, Keshavarz understands their power and restrains on being too showy, fully knowing that these scenes must be handled with care and that the acting performances should showcase massive empathy and heart.
Thankfully, the performances are phenomenal. Mohammadi gives one of the best breakout roles of any movie this year, deftly balancing relatable slices of comedy with a more human and vulnerable side. Some of the film’s biggest laughs involve Leila’s relationship with Maximillian (Tom Byrne), the man who surprisingly got her pregnant, even if she is queer. The two aren’t a perfect match, but they seem to make it work, even if her family isn’t impressed with him.
But The Persian Version is Noor’s movie through and through, imbuing Shireen with a remarkable array of raw emotion and unadulterated love. She never explicitly shows that she loves Leila (we eventually get to find out why, and it’s devastating), but we see, deep down, how much she cares about her just through her eyes and how she looks at Leila. It’s a mostly quiet and reserved turn that fills the movie with as much emotional resonance as possible and makes its final scene all the more poignant. Noor should be at the top of everyone’s list for Best Supporting Actress this year, in her most powerful work as an actor so far.
She and Mohammadi are the main reasons The Persian Version is worth watching. The supporting actors are equally as excellent but do not get enough screen time to make an impact as much as they do. And even if some of its visual style can be distracting and remove some of its character development, The Persian Version remains an impassioned piece of work that sets Kezhavarz, Mohammadi, and Noor as ones to watch if you weren’t paying attention to their work before.
