Persepolis

Name: Persepolis
Genre: Biography, Drama, War, Animation
Released: December 25, 2007
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 90
Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Gena Rowlands

2007

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 262 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 262 Ratings

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Persepolis

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 25, 2007 | PG-13

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Gena Rowlands

Summary: Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of the precocious and outspoken 9-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power--forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, Marjane outsmarts the "socialPersepolis is the poignant story of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of the precocious and outspoken 9-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power--forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, Marjane outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA, and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war, the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable. [Sony Classics]… Expand

Director: Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, War, Animation

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 96 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

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

100

Premiere Glenn Kenny

While avoiding specious bromides about universality, Persepolis insists on communicating with its audience, and insists that communication and empathy are the keys to our survival. Read full review

100

David Ansen

It's not to be missed in any language. In a year that has given us such marvelous animated movies as "Ratatouille" and "Paprika," this vibrant, sly and moving personal odyssey takes pride of place. Read full review

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

Jack Mathews

The black-and-white animation won't dazzle your eyes, but everything else about Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's adaptation of Satrapi's graphic comic book series Persepolis will hold you in its thrall. Read full review

Ty Burr

They're both tales of growing up in the shadow of Islamic fundamentalism, but Persepolis is everything "The Kite Runner" is not. It's a personal memoir rather than fiction, coolly observant instead of melodramatic, female rather than male in sensibility and sense of humor - it has a sense of humor. Read full review

Anthony Lane

There is no denying the boldness of Persepolis, both in design and in moral complaint, but there must surely be moments, in Marjane’s life as in ours, that cry out for cross-hatching and the grown-up grayness of doubt. Read full review

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User Reviews

Hondzik

Sep 22, 2013

I simply loved this movie, the main character and her somewhat intense life. Its both adorable and freaking cruel, with the minimalistic animations its just one of few masterpieces in animated world.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

JohnB.

Apr 8, 2008

Persepolis is so full of ideas. It might not be groundbreaking in animation but there was a lot of creativity put into this. Of course, you can't help but get tied into the struggle of Marjame because we are shown such a realistic character. Marjame's interpretation of the world Persepolis is so full of ideas. It might not be groundbreaking in animation but there was a lot of creativity put into this. Of course, you can't help but get tied into the struggle of Marjame because we are shown such a realistic character. Marjame's interpretation of the world around her is put to the forefront instead of the political struggles in Iran. I would agree that it felt a bit like a series of diary entries but thankfully introspection is kept to a minimum and we are allowed to simply witness the events in her life more. It was a good mix between being on the outside looking in at Marjame's struggles and being on the inside looking out. The moral here is that no one when presented obstacles in life is perfect and there is nothing you can do to make things better. It may have been a typical coming of age story in some aspects but it was also this realization that no matter what, you can never truly identify with a world that can't really identify you. More likely, you will have to fabricate your own identity like Marjane had to. This is not one to miss. It couldn't have been better presented.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SayantanD

Dec 14, 2008

A wonderful film with dark sardonic humor, poetic animation dwelling into human relationships. LOVED IT.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

PerspicaciousCritic

Apr 26, 2008

This film is worthy of a 10 out of 10 score. The only reason I am giving it 8 out of 10 is because it was dubbed in English and the American voices were distracting, grating and not fitting with the mainly Iranian characters. NY Times critic A.O. Scott said it best: "Sony Pictures Classics, This film is worthy of a 10 out of 10 score. The only reason I am giving it 8 out of 10 is because it was dubbed in English and the American voices were distracting, grating and not fitting with the mainly Iranian characters. NY Times critic A.O. Scott said it best: "Sony Pictures Classics, which is releasing … Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

smijatov

Aug 19, 2010

Visually beautiful, especially with the use of the white and black, 'Persepolis' achieves what many animated films lately have lacked: to give us some actual knowledge about something happening in the world. As beautiful as 'Up' and 'Toy Story 3' may be, they do not teach us about the worldVisually beautiful, especially with the use of the white and black, 'Persepolis' achieves what many animated films lately have lacked: to give us some actual knowledge about something happening in the world. As beautiful as 'Up' and 'Toy Story 3' may be, they do not teach us about the world things we haven't known before. 'Persepolis' gives us a tangible example of the diversity of cultures, ways of thinking and acting and how someone may be found to be living in the wrong place.
I do not believe that this is an anti-Iranian film, after all, one of the "takeaway points" of the film is to be proud of who you are - which the director/author clearly is, and she makes it a point of pride. However, politics in Iran are definitely under attack here - but why not? Just because it is an animated film does not mean it cannot contain messages: clearly, what was happening in Iran at the time of the Islamic Revolution was not right, irrelevant of whether one believes it is 'anti-Iranian' to think that way or not. And, I think, most importantly, it shows to world-audiences (and especially US audiences) that Iran has also people who are like themselves, just that one cannot express it openly, and that Iran used to be quite a "normal" place before the revolution - not unlike Europe or anywhere else in the 'developed' world.

Definitely, it is a highly recommendable film for its artistry and its heart-wrenching story.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

jimr.

Feb 16, 2008

Seemed pretty boring to me. An easy history lesson, which is always good! I'm sure it was the best choice at the cineplex tonight.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

[Anonymous]

May 13, 2008

An aggravating story about an Iranian narcissist and drama queen. The animation is NOT that great but looks cheap, like old cold-war kiddie Soviet propaganda-NO JOKE. Politically correct pap that amazed me by being even worse than the source material. If you think that society should be run An aggravating story about an Iranian narcissist and drama queen. The animation is NOT that great but looks cheap, like old cold-war kiddie Soviet propaganda-NO JOKE. Politically correct pap that amazed me by being even worse than the source material. If you think that society should be run by socialist sociology professors, you'll like this movie. The people are a bunch of lower middle class twits, who seem to know nothing of reality. Their values could be purchased at any Wal-Mart, the Marxist ones as well. Ugh.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful

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7	#7 Best Movie of 2007
79	#79 Most Discussed Movie of 2007
95	#95 Most Shared Movie of 2007