CIRCUMSTANCE – The Review

It’s always surprising to learn that people in faraway foreign lands really have the same dreams and desires as folks next door to us here. The main conflict is how their families and communities react and respond to them. For the past several decades Iran has been a big part of the Middle East news. Our last president even included it in his “Axis of Evil”. It turns out that a lot of the population, particularly the young people, really embrace Western culture and attitudes. The new film from writer/director Maryam Keshavarz, CIRCUMSTANCE, shines a light on a part of that country that its government wishes to keep hidden.

CIRCUMSTANCE tells the story of two women in their late teens. Atafeh ( Nikohl Boosheri ) is the outgoing, musically gifted daughter of an upper class family who were at the forefront of the revolution that ousted the Shah several decades ago. Shy, reserved Shireen ( Sarah Kazemy ) lives in her Uncle and Aunt’s lower middle class home. Her mother and father were ‘radical” professors who’ve been “out of the picture” for several years. During the day Atafeh and Shireen are studious schoolgirls, but after their classes are done they doff their head scarfs and enter the world of secret parties were they drink and dance to forbidden Western music. Soon we learn that they share more than friendship and must hide their love from society. One day, Atafeh is surprised at the return of her older brother Mehran ( Reza Sixo Safai ). Mehran had given up a promising music career years ago because of his drug addiction. His father gives welcomes him back while monitoring his behavior. One night after hitting an underground dance club, Atafeh and Shireen accompany two young men to a secret storeroom of CDs and DVDs from the West. They decide to dub the film MILK into Iranian and distribute it. Unfortunately they are arrested by the “Morality Police” on the way back home. What is Mehran’s involvement with this? And will the women realize their dream of life together in far off Dubai?

Keshavarz directs her original script with a confident hand making great use of the city locations and countryside while guiding the cast in giving naturalistic performances. The two young lead actresses succeed in creating two characters who will hopefully be an inspiration to women all around the world. Boosheri practically bursts off the screen as the joyous Atafeh while Kazemy is caught between her desires and the repressive society. Safai’s Mehran may have the most complex character arc as he switches his addiction from crack cocaine to radical fundamentalism. His actions in support of his new ‘ brethren’ are quite disturbing. I’d like to have seen a bit more of the reasons why one of the girls makes an abrupt life choice and I wished that the film could’ve followed the fate of another character. Seems odd to say, but I think the film could’ve used another quarter hour in length. This is a powerful film that really turns a spotlight on the oppression of women ( they’re forbidden to swim at the beach, while the men enjoy the cooling waters). It’s a film that will make you applaud the courage of these young people and appreciate the freedoms that many of us take for granted.

Overall Rating: Three and a Half Out of Five Stars