Recent Viewing: The Persian Version

It's a movie about a young, second-generation American lesbian who is trying to understand her immigrant mother better to smooth out their relationship as she navigates her mother's disapproval of her sexuality. No, not Saving Face—it's The Persian Version. ​

 

This movie is based on the director's own life, and it's obviously full of heart and genuine feeling. However, it does suffer from the director's obvious desire to include so many disparate stories about her life that the film often lacks cohesion. It leaps around from place to place and never really "finishes" a storyline. By the end, there's been no real improvement of protagonist Leila's relationship with her mother, Leila's relationship with the father of her child is unclear, her father's health issues are unresolved, and there's no sign if Leila has moved on from her ex-wife (on whose phone she left a desperate fifty-four messages at the start of the film). 

 

Unlike Saving Face or Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Persian Version is more a snapshot of a difficult mother/daughter relationship more in line with Ladybird than a story of a mother and daughter growing closer. Although Leila expresses a desire to understand her mother better, and takes some steps to that end—trying to write a script from her mother's perspective, talking with her maternal grandmother about the family history in Iran—it never really bears fruit. The last real conversation she has with her mother in the film is her making catty comments about her father's long-hidden infidelity. ​

 

The film's editing is clean and the actors play well off one another, and the young actresses who play the youthful versions of the present-day characters do a wonderful job.

 

I am a sucker for multigenerational stories. I imagine most people start the film sympathizing largely with Leila—but after a look back at mom's history in Iran, it's much easier to understand why she may view her daughter as selfish and immature. 

 

The film has, from what I've seen, taken some flak at least on tumblr for showing a self-professed lesbian sleeping with a man (yes, even one in drag). I understand that not everyone is going to love this plot point, particularly given the prevalence of stories about self-professed lesbians ending up with a male love interest, but sexuality is fluid, and I don't think that gay people can't experiment and still be gay, the way straight people are permitted to experiment and still be straight. Also, this is based on the director's own life, so I can only assume this was her own lived experience. I will say that—SPOILER ALERT—she does not seem to be looking to continue any romance with this guy after the fact. 

 

On the whole, I enjoyed The Persian Version. Would I say it's a good movie? Not in any remarkable way—it could have used a lot more editing in terms of plot, but​ I still liked watching it. It's not as focused as other movies about immigrant parents and their children, and it sometimes feels confused about the story it's trying to tell, but the feelings are there and the comedy lands, so I'll excuse the scattered plot.