PersepolisMovie Reviews

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Must Go!
Avg. Critic Score: 90 out of 100 Universal acclaim Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 Iffy for 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Cinematic poetry in black and white. It also is a deeply affecting tale of the power of resilience and an unflagging sense of humor through the worst of situations Read full review

  • 100
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    The movie sparkles with witty self-awareness. Read full review

  • 100
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    While so many films about coming of age involve manufactured dilemmas, here is one about a woman who indeed does come of age, and magnificently. Read full review

  • 90
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    The filmmakers were right to believe that a live-action version of this story would have failed to achieve the universality Persepolis does. Read full review

  • 90
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    A dazzlingly smart and entertaining animated feature by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, looks like a black-and-white graphic novel come to life. Read full review

  • 90
    Variety | Lisa Nesselson

    This autobiographical tour de force is completely accessible and art of a very high order. Read full review

  • 90
    The New York Times | A.O. Scott

    Persepolis, austere as it may look, is full of warmth and surprise, alive with humor and a fierce independence of spirit. Read full review

  • 80
    Washington Post | Stephen Hunter

    The movie, while no fun, faces hard truths and asks hard questions. Read full review

  • 80
    Los Angeles Times | Carina Chocano

    A familiar story set in an unfamiliar context, it's a paean to the universality of human experience, a testament to the endurance of individuality during great political and fanatical upheaval, and a reminder that even the most complex situations, identities and stories are heartbreakingly simple. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    It's striking how much emotion Satrapi is able to convey through blocky drawings. Read full review

View more reviews for Persepolis on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 14+ Animated coming-of-age tale is poignant, mature.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that although this film -- an adaptation of graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi's critically acclaimed memoir about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution -- is animated, it's aimed at adults. There are many references to the atrocities (mostly executions and bombings) of life before, during, and after the revolution. Several scenes involve secret parties during which secular Iranians drink and smoke; as a teenager living in Europe, Marjane also drinks, smokes, tries hash, and sleeps with two guys (at one point, feeling suicidal, she also takes lots of pills). If teens are interested, they'll learn a lot about the harsh realities of life in an oppressive culture. It's worth noting that there are two versions of the film: The original is in French with subtitles; the other is dubbed in English.
  • Families can talk about how "the West" is portrayed in the film. Why is American pop culture banned in Iran? What makes it threatening? How is Marjane's family different? How does Marjane "betray" her heritage once she's abroad? What did you learn about Iranian history and culture from the film? Do you think that animation was an effective way to tell Marjane's story? How would it have been different if it was live action?
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Marjane tries to keep her grandmother's promise to be true to herself and to honor her roots despite all the changes going on around her.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: Several characters die, either by firing squad, public hanging, or falling while running from the police. Blood is depicted as black, oozing from a shadowy/black figure. Other scenes portray bombings, revolutionary battles, and dead victims.
  • sex false3 Sex: Marjane kisses and hugs a couple of characters and catches a boyfriend in bed with another young woman. She admits that she's not virgin and tells her virgin friends back home that sex is good depending on the guy. Marjane's mother reveals that since it's illegal to execute a virgin, unmarried female prisoners are forced to marry soldiers and have `their virginity taken` first.
  • language false3 Language: Language includes `bastard,` `s--t,` `dick,` and `ass` (dialogue is in French with English subtitles).
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Bruce Lee poster, Bee Gees album, Iron Maiden album, the song `Eye of the Tiger.`
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: A suicidal Marjane takes a lot of pills, and Marjane and her parents attend secret parties where the adults tend to get drunk. As a teenager, Marjane drinks and smokes cigarettes and pot/hash. She also drinks and smokes cigarettes as an adult.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

5.0

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

… a moving, intimate, complex, visually beautiful black-and-white story. Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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Persepolis Movie Ratings + Reviews

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