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Persepolis
Starring: Chiara Mastroianni,
Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Derreuix
Directed by: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Produced by:
Marc-Antoine Robert, Xavier Rigault
Written
by: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics |
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Persepolis was almost certainly picked up by distributor
Sony Pictures Classics based on their success in American
markets with 2003’s The Triplets of Belleville, another
French animated feature. But whereas that Sylvain Chomet picture
was a constant visual and auditory wonder, this one is often
destroyed by its bland delivery. Sure, there’s a lot of energy
to be found in Persepolis, but the film feels senseless
once one realizes that there isn’t much to it. Aesthetically, it
is interesting for all of fifteen minutes, but only because it
dares to use traditional 2-D animation and a primarily
black-and-white color palette. The same thing can be said of the
narrative, which only carries its characters so far. The film
tells an intimate version of contemporary Iranian history, with
young protagonist Marjane Satrapi (named after and based off of
one of the film’s two writer/directors) experiencing the
after-effects of the fall of the Shah, the brutality of the
Iran/Iraq War, and eventually her own identity-crisis when she
is sent by her family to study in Austria. As a character,
Marjane isn’t especially interesting, despite her livid
perkiness. Furthermore: as a history-lesson, Persepolis
will only enlighten those completely unfamiliar with Iranian
Conflicts of the past fifty years. Sure, the film has its
undeniable charms: its constant tonal jubilance, as provoked by
Marjane’s youthfulness, is particularly striking when juxtaposed
against the bleak history that the story chronicles. On the
whole, however, there isn’t anything extraordinary about
Persepolis. It is often intriguing—sometimes even
exciting—but never remarkable.
-Danny Baldwin,
Bucket Reviews
Review Published
on: 1.2.2008
Screened on:
12.30.2007 at The Landmark in West Los Angeles, CA.
Persepolis is rated PG-13 and runs 95
minutes.
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