Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Absolutely brilliant

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

It's the 1970's & the Iranian revolution is well underway - look out those who prospered under the old regime as the 'new' is coming after you. This is the time writer Dalia Sofer is documenting - the need to escape at all costs. Many good performances bring this powerful recreation to life but, it's obvious from the mixed reviews not many people cared much for the story being told in this screenplay. Is it the fault of the screenplay or other? It's certainly a graphic image of a tumultuous time. It's difficult to understand why the producer's of this quite major work, opted for the chosen style. If you have a dramatic real-life story to convey and a top cast to carry it, then why treat it to such a cheap photographic style? Australian director Wayne Blair, along with Australian cinematographer Warwick Thornton, have approached this project as if it were a low budget backyard movie. It features some of the worst hand-held camera work I've seen - at one stage it looked as if they were shooting during an earth tremor. At our screening, someone actually said the unstable images were making them nauseous. I'm wondering if this reflects on the Australian Film and Television School's idiom of over-the-top Political Correctness - as in the 'Identity Politics' currently being played out, that foolishly causes 'them and us' separationist type rifts? IE: 'here we have two aboriginals taking courses, must give them top marks for the world to see our ethos'. But, seems perhaps the rest of the world may not have shared our 'enthusiasm'. Whatever it was/is this movie did not deserve to do so badly on the world stage. It offers a harsh reflection of the state of life at this challenging time – and, as it sadly remains! Mark Isham's music is effective and the use of a 2 Cellos track is well chosen. Overall, it's not as bad as some others have claimed – but with what seems like some 'tacked-on' scenes, should have been better.

I'm an Iranian living in exile. As a child living in Iran in 1979, I remember very well what my my parents and my family went through. We were not Jews or minority of any kind. After the Islamic took power in 1979, many were persecuted. As Iranians we consider ourselves "One Nation" regardless of religion. The actions of an idiotic government that took power in 1979 does not AT ALL reflect the feelings and attitudes of the Iranian people toward each other. We consider ourselves of the same race. Like Italians, we have more fair and less fair, olive skin and white skin, as well as super fair and super dark... and it doesn't matter to us. Iranian Jews are not more fair or "white". They can have any look just like any other Iranian. Iranian Jews are not the only wealthy ones or well-dressed ones in Iran. It may be quite the opposite but I won't get into that and I don't want to stoop as low as the screen writers here.Also, I wonder why two Americans were chosen to play the main roles... There are countless great Iranian-American actors who could have done a much superior and vraisemblant job, but I am sure they didn't. And Shohreh Aghdashloo, top Iranian-American actress, disappointed me so much in accepting a small role in this anti-Iran film.I've rated this film 1 because it's a horrible choice and can throw off the non-Iranian viewer completely. As for Iranians, we lived this; we don't need to watch it again.I loved the film. It's very real. I cried a lot during the entire time watching it because this happened to many Iranians especially those in positions of power. Those who say it's not believable are those who know nothing about what horrors took place in Iran after the Islamic regime took power in 1979. My mother, a very apolitical nurse, was the principal for a Nursing Assistants school in Iran and after the revolution she demoted herself to working as a Nursing instructor in a different city just so we would not become targets for the new regime. You have to realise that anyone in a position of power under Shah's regime could be accused of being a heretic and be called all sorts of names.The main character Isaac is a successful Iranian man who as he states just "happens to be a Jew."Here's the "Dummies" version of what happened:Prior to 1979, Iran had a secular regime under Mohammad Reza Shah (AKA the Shah of Iran). Most ordinary people enjoyed life in Iran pretty much like the way we do today in North America or Europe. You could decide to practice any religion or no religion. You could go to a bar if you wanted to. Yes there was dancing, lots of parties and fashion followed Europe closely (much nicer fashion than North America).The only downside of the Shah's system was that he had a mini- party regime and proclaimed himself king for life without being questioned. So you see, those who could dare question him could be imprisoned, tortured or executed by Savak, Shah's secret police.The non-political middle and upper classes enjoyed a good life. Many communists and left thinkers started the movement against the Shah. However the uprising somehow was transformed into something bigger when out of the blue (in reality with the support of the US), a exiled clergy named Khomeini started speaking against the Shah too. At that time, the masses who were poor, rather religious and frustrated by the status quo took him to be the answer to their prayers and showed increasing support for Khomeini, much like American rednecks thought Trump was an answer to their prayers!Shah left soon. Exiled Islamic clergy, Khomeini came to Iran with the support of thugs, and the misery began........Now this was a time of chaos and anyone could be picked on. Wearing the hejab (covering hair for women ) was not a serious mandate yet (film is inaccurate in that regard). Yes religious minorities such as Jews, Christians or Baha'is could be picked on, but then so were all other Iranians who were successful or those who were Muslim by birth and didn't seem to practice it seriously (most Iranians). The story is great, but I could understand it because I'm a fellow Iranian. For a film that is marketed to people outside Iran, the film doesn't provide a setting or backdrop. Just because Isaac is Jewish the viewer may easily assume only Jews or religious minorities were targeted by the new regime in 1979. Just because the thugs are mostly Muslims the viewers can wrongly deduce that the story is about the conflict between Muslims and Jews. No. Iranians love each other and most are not blinded by religious differences amongst themselves. Another minor issue of inaccuracy: When some men are speaking, one says Cyrus the Great didn't discriminate based on religion whether it was Islam Christianity or Judaism. :) Well, Cyrus the Great ruled Iran (the Persian Empire) 2575 years ago! This was before the birth of Christ and the advent of Islam!All in all, a very honest film, except the fact that to uninformed non-Iranians who are fed anti- Iran propaganda and think Iranians are all a bunch of uneducated religious fanatics, the movie doesn't help. That's just because the main character happens to be a Jew. Unfortunately there's no portrayal of what Most Iranians looked like, dressed like and behaved like, so some viewers might assume that lifestyle of Isaac was exclusive to non- Muslims! Now that you're better informed, please go ahead and watch this heart-wrenching story that happened to many of us Iranians. That's why many of us are living in diaspora, and the majority of us are light-practicing or secular Iranians born Muslim.

I normally don't review however, after reading some of the reviews that were poor I wanted to review this. The story is a horror story of a Jewish family escaping from the horror of an oppressive thug country. Having traveled to the Middle East and miles from Iran, having friends that went through this very scenario, this movie was hard to watch. The acting was good and I was well pleased with Adrian Brody's acting as well. Knowing what life is like there, this movie was riveting to watch and well made. Life there is a horror story for anyone that is not a zealot for the religious government. It is hard to believe that life is like this anywhere in the world today living in the west. People are treated with pure terror that are not brain washed or part of those systems. The story was well told and the acting was good. Nearly a 10 rating from me having witnessed life in that part of the world. I believe this is a good movie to watch if you don't mind suspense. I am not sure if what I have written is a spoiler but marked as such just to be safe. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see how hard life is in that part of the world. Harsh living unless you are wealthy and part of the system. If not, life is harsh at best. Jews are not likely to live at all there let alone living well today. I have a dear friend, Jewish-Persian who fled during this period and some of the depictions are spot on. Well worth watching.

I am actually shocked at how bad the acting is in this film - I can't figure if it's the screenplay or the actual acting that slows the pace down considerably. I have read the book, which was an exhilarating read but nothing special, and being Iranian I could relate and understand the story within the context. My main issues with the film is that it comes across very insincere because it is spoken in English, phrases which would sound beautiful and more powerful in the native Persian, sound dramatic and silly, which detract from the film's earnestness. I understand if the director wants to reach an English - speaking audience, but as a British - Iranian watching non - Iranian actors speak with such a horrific Iranian accents that metamorphosis into Russian for some reason, is horrific. It is simply not credible.Naturally, Shohreh Aghdashloo's acting is impeccable as always - if anything she should have been chosen for the lead role instead of Salma. I would recommend the film 'The Stoning of Soraya M' if you'd like to better understand the social context following the Iranian Revolution of 1979.