When a large Iranian-American family gathers, a family secret is uncovered that catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past, and to discover they are more alike than they know.
Directed by Maryam Keshavarz, ‘The Persian Version’ is a charming comedy drama movie about a young Iranian-American woman trying to find her place in the world. Based on Keshavarz’s own background, it explores this topic through the lens of the generation gap and culture clashes, both in terms of how it affected Leila (our protagonist), and her family, most notably her mother Shireen. It is a film clearly made with passion and charm and that enthusiasm comes through in the end result.
The film begins by introducing us to Leila, a slightly scatty young filmmaker who we first meet as she’s having a one night stand with a drag queen at a Halloween party. Soon after, we’re introduced to the rest of her family which includes her grandmother, a lot of brothers and her parents, who have all adapted in different ways to life in America. The movie uses flashbacks to tell the story of how Leila’s parents met and how they ended up in the United States, and through this, and flashbacks to Leila’s childhood, we start to understand more about her and particularly why she has such a difficult relationship with her mother.
Layla Mohammadi makes for a compelling lead, with Niousha Noor especially good as her mother, and I enjoyed how Keshavarz’s script brings out the challenges of being an immigrant family (too Iranian for America, and too American for Iran, as stated at one stage). I also liked the lighter tone and fourth wall breaking style, with some really entertaining sequences not least set to the sounds of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, a perfect song to fit with the mood ‘The Persian Version’ is going for. I felt it was a little less surefooted in the conflict between Leila and her mother, which whilst I’m sure is based on fact, felt a little contrived to drive more drama into the plot.
‘The Persian Version’ is a light and fun tale about the immigrant experience, with its depiction of this particular family and vibrant filmmaking style delivering a fresh take on this type of movie.
Rating: 3/5
Directed By: Maryam Keshavarz
Starring: Layla Mohammadi, Niousha Noor, Bijan Daneshmand, Bella Warda, Chiara Stella, Kamand Shafieisabet and Tom Byrne
'I have a purpose. If you think that it's some kind of blessing it's not. It means I have an obligation to see a very specific thing through.' Marty Supreme (2025) 