Maryam

The year is 1979. There are lines at the gas stations and a revolution in Iran. As the film opens, we see archival news footage from the latter story as the soundtrack plays "Good Times Roll" by The Cars. We meet Maryam (Mariam Parris), who is a high school senior in New Jersey. She was born in Iran, but knows almost nothing of that culture. She is the anchor for the school television news program, goes by the name Mary at school, and generally seems comfortable in her life, although her parents are a little more strict than most.

Soon she learns that her cousin Ali (David Ackert) is coming from Iran to live with the family and attend a local university. Ali's father died years ago, and his mother recently died as well. When he arrives, he seems very uncomfortable with American life -- people (even women!) shake hands, dance, and do all sorts of things that Ali is used to thinking of as immoral in his native, Ayatollah Khomeini-controlled country. Ali thinks the Ayatollah has been a *good* change for Iran, and that the deposed Shah is evil. Maryam's reply is that the Ayatollah "calls the U.S. the Great Satan. I mean, the guy could lighten up a little."

The key characters in the film are Maryam and Ali. I thought Parris was outstanding in the former role, showing both emotion and typical high school irreverence with equal skill. Ackert was harder to judge, but he did make me believe that Ali was *very* uncomfortable with most of what he saw of America, and I can't recall any sour notes in his performance, so it was at least acceptable. The remaining actors, especially Maryam's parents, were less developed but also quite believable.

The writing, direction, cinematography, and so on were also quite good, but what really sets this film apart is the way that it shows how hateful and intolerant American society can be. Especially after the American embassy hostages are taken, almost everyone becomes very cold to the entire family -- the militant Islamic Ali as well as the totally Americanized Maryam -- regardless of past friendships. Because we have had the opportunity to get to know these Iranians as human beings, the escalating hatred is that much harder to watch.

This film was made well before the events of 9/11, so the obvious parallels to the current distrust of anyone who looks like he might be Afghani were not planned. But this film is outstanding in its ability to remind us to see the person and not the label. See it if you have the chance. Unfortunately, it has closed where I saw it, so you might be forced to wait (and hope) for home video.

Seen on 6/19/2002.

I was too young while the events portrayed in the film were going on to truly experience them. So I view it at somewhat a disadvantage as history, but this isn't too bad -- a primary audience for this film should be teens, who clearly are in even worse of a situation than I.

It is not considered best to respond to comments, but I think I can voice my thoughts in answer to some of them. I too thought some of the supporting characters were badly played -- actually, what the film lacked were truly three dimensional non-Iranian characters. This is troubling. The potential b/f is portrayed as a bit of a boob and even the teacher isn't much help. The neighbors are a bit better, especially the wife in a couple scenes, but this is clearly a problem in the film.

I too felt that the film was sort of an extended Afternoon Special ... it shows my age that I remember them! All the same, it was a pretty good one with good acting by the leads, and some good situations. Given the paucity of good teenage drama in the theaters these days, Afternoon Specials actually look pretty good.

Let's remember this is the director's first film and a low budget one at that. This doesn't justify all of the films weaker components, but it helps understand them. Also, not only does the culture clash advance the plot, it very well might have been true that the family discussed how the cousin has different beliefs etc. Mary could very well have mostly ignored such "boring" discussions and the father might not have wanted to overdo it. Also, Ali's beliefs were rather new ... the father might have recalled him as more middle of the road.

As to historical accuracy. This is amusing -- the director based some of the film on his own experiences. I also don't know what was not historical accurate in the film. As to the lack of violence or truly harsh discrimination, the director in the commentary said he chose that route purposely so as not to make the film too harsh -- he wanted to focus on the emotions of the characters.

The lack of three dimensional non-Iranians aside, I thought it was a good film that showed a particular "growing up" moment for a teenage girl. The dad also impressed, a sort of everyman, that shows himself much more impressive than he first seems.

A good first effort ... with the expected flaws of a first film.

Several of the negative comments about this film were so blind. This movie is about American culture and makes you think about big questions that nag us -- why do Americans respond to a crisis by hating others? I was alive and conscious during the events of 1979, I have known Iranians as college acquaintances and friends, and the use of footage in the movie is very effective at evoking memories of that time. Thinking about the racism against Iranians during that time and then thinking about how too many Americans reacted to the events of September 11, the march to a stupid war in Iraq, etc., etc., makes it clear once again that we Americans need to do some deep soul searching. Watch this movie and think about it -- don't try to act like some film critic or reviewer. Interestingly, on the surface this movie is about Iranians, but in fact I found that it was about American culture.

This film is so relevant to today. It is sad to see that similar hatred has erupted in 2001 as in 1979. These are issues facing American society and the discourse of race/ethnicity. How Maryam negotiates the already challenging world of high school cliques and competitiveness is complicated by her heritage. She sees herself as a typical American girl, but with the Iranian hostage crisis that world quickly burns away... This movie should be made available to schools and should have the professors and teachers engage their classes in discussion on "otherness".

This was a film characterized by being there, by being interesting, and by holding your attention -- but giving you false expectations of anything more. Overall, the film was a decent watch, but it left something lacking and something a bit unfulfilling in you.

This film's story has great potential, and from the beginning you could see it building up (in spite of often mediocre acting & filming reminiscent of bad 'made-for-TV movies') but in the end the story does not get anywhere near as provocative or startling as it could be. There are, of course, worthwhile moments as in any film that tackles similar issues, but it was not done in a way that makes one think or be moved by whats' going on; it does it very matter-of-factly and often seemingly without the proper emotions running high. It seems very anticlimactic at moments, and very cold. It is like the firework that makes the big bang but the streams of color are just not there.

Throughout the entirety of the film I am awaiting for an explosion of shock & intrigue, a moment of cinema excellence to rear its' head and enrapture me and devour my senses, but in the end you do not get this: you get a mere solid story that slowly progresses, has very small climactic points, and leaves you slightly disappointed.

It is a decent slice of life film, and it is true in its' portrayals and good effort is put into it by Ramin Serry. I must say that I was pleased with much of the film, and that it was in fact a decent watch, but it certainly was not anything that truly grabs or moves you. And so as a result I can only say that it is a film that is an easy, light watch, and that if you should see it, not to expect anything big or amazing as one might expect. Rather, it is what it is, and what it is is nothing amazing.