Critic Reviews
Persepolis (2007) Rank 5 Reviews
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Spirituality and Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
An animated autobiographical masterpiece about one Iranian woman's intense quest for the holy grail of freedom - one of the most imaginative and important films of the year. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Spirituality and Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
No Country for Young Women. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
Premiere Magazine (Glenn Kenny)
It is, as much as anything else, an expression of a personality, an insistence that the singular voice of a single heart has meaning and can speak meaningfully across cultural boundaries both real and created. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Premiere Magazine (Glenn Kenny)
Manhattan Movie Magazine (Marlow Stern)
like the titular ancient city, is truly a sight to behold ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Manhattan Movie Magazine (Marlow Stern)
ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Here is that rare profoundly original film that will open floodgates. It also announces the brazen identity of a fiercely independent female voice in international cinema. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Newsday (Gene Seymour)
Persepolis provides an achingly intimate view of how one young girl's hopes and fantasies come under siege by events beyond her control. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Newsday (Gene Seymour)
Reel.com
What does one say about a film that is, by any measurement that matters, perfect? When considering Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's finely etched animated adaptation of Satrapi's two-part autobiographical graphic novel about growing up ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Reel.com
filmcritic.com (Chris Barsanti)
What does one do, or even say, about a film that is, by any measurement that matters, perfect? When considering Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's finely etched animated adaptation of Satrapi's two-part autobiographical graphic novel ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at filmcritic.com (Chris Barsanti)
Onion AV Club (Noel Murray)
The two main points Persepolis makes are that strife is relative, and all politics are personal. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Onion AV Club (Noel Murray)
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies (Nell Minow)
The film is extraordinary, expanding the forms of memoir and of animation, told with enormous insight into the most intimate moments of adolescent longing and the most complex aspects of political upheaval. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies (Nell Minow)
USA Today (Claudia Puig)
It also is a deeply affecting tale of the power of resilience and an unflagging sense of humor through the worst of situations. Based on Marjane Satrapi's fascinating memoirs (in graphic-novel form), this lyrical animated film for adult audiences ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Reeling Reviews (Laura Clifford)
...a magical animation, one that presents a universal coming of age story within exotic locales with the simplicity and whimsy of folk art. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Reeling Reviews (Laura Clifford)
ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
A focused tone [puts] you right into the head of its storyteller, where everything about the art augments the initmacy of the teller's thoughts and emotions. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
I shouldn't be surprised that Persepolis strongly reminded me of Art Spigelman's seminal graphic novel, Maus. The movie is based on Marjane Satrapi's own autobiographical black-and-white graphic novel -- actually, to use "based on" seems innacurate. The ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Boston Herald (James Verniere)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
I attended the Tehran Film Festival in 1972 and was invited to the home of my guide and translator to meet her parents and family. Over tea and elegant pastries, they explained proudly that Iran was a "modern" country, that they were devout Muslims but di ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
movies.com (Dave White)
The Cinema Source (Brian DePasquale)
Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
A gem of an animated movie which subtly and comically jabs the Iranian regime while unfolding the spiritual journey of a woman from 1978 to the 1990's. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Political Film Society
Persepolis is a coming-of-age biopic based on a four-volume graphic book (subtitled The Story of a Childhood) that is portrayed on the screen through animation. Based on the life of Marjane Satrapi, who writes the book and directs the animation, the ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Political Film Society
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
I attended the Tehran Film Festival in 1972 and was invited to the home of my guide and translator to meet her parents and family. Over tea and elegant pastries, they explained proudly that Iran was a "modern" country, that they were devout Muslims but di ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
eFilmCritic.com (Jay Seaver)
WCBE's It's Movie Time (John DeSando)
efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Michael Machosky)
ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
. "Persepolis" has a vibrant "punk rock" take-no-prisoners tone that is refreshing as it is elucidating. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Clint O'Connor)
Future Movies (Coco Forsythe)
Entertainment Insiders (Warren Curry)
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll reveal that I don't see many animated movies. And that's primarily because the majority of them are marketed towards children, a demographic I haven't belonged to in a few decades. I don't mean to imply that ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Warren Curry)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Here's a movie about the recent history of Iran that could never have been made in Iran. Come to think of it, it's also the type of film that could never be made in America: a mostly black-and-white, hand-drawn animated feature about politics. At age 9, ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
The Onion A.V. Club
Marjane Satrapi's internationally bestselling comic-book memoir Persepolis recounts her girlhood in Iran and beyond, starting with the Shah being deposed and the rise of Iran's current fundamentalist Islamic state, and stretching through Satrapi's ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at The Onion A.V. Club
EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
As a portrait of young female consciousness caught in a historical thrust of political and cultural turmoil, this original French animation, based on popular Iranian source material, is by turns funny, exuberant, dark and troubling. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Cutting Edge
Iran staat weer op de wereldkaart: als je veel olie hebt en je staatshoofd af en toe een gewelddadige uitspraak doet, dan zijn de schijnwerpers dichtbij. Maar het hele land is gehuld in vraagtekens en een troebel verleden voor mensen die niet elke dag de ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Cutting Edge
Time Out New York (Melissa Anderson)
Art need not have a pedagogical or political mission. And yet the timing of the release of this superb animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapiâs autobiographical graphic novels about coming of age in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution couldnât be mor ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Time Out New York (Melissa Anderson)
DVDRAMA
Il est relativement impossible dâobtenir un meilleur rendu que celui que nous offre le master de Persepolis. Le noir et blanc, sublime, est étalonné dâune manière incroyable et nous offre toute la palette de dégradés. Les aplats noirs, blancs ou ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at DVDRAMA
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
A lot of films can break your heartâa precious few can enlarge and renovate it.
Vincent Paronnaudâs and Marjane Satrapiâs animated film of the latterâs graphic novel is one of those precious few. It invites comparison to great, iconic works of ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Film Journal International (Lewis Beale)
Told with style and passion, Persepolis is one of the most unique, and moving, animated films ever made. Based on two critically acclaimed graphic novels by Iranian émigré Marjane Satrapi, the film, like the books, is a tale of revolution, war and ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Film Journal International (Lewis Beale)
The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
"Persepolis" is essentially a coming-of-age story, though that description feels a little reductive for a movie as special as this one. It is the memoir of Marjane Strapi, an Iranian woman who was born in 1969 and underwent the travails of adolescence at ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Satrapi is an interesting woman who clearly has a distinctive way of telling her story, which is what makes this film such a uniquely joyous experience. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
About.com (Marcy Dermansky)
Extraordinarily moving and wildly informative. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at About.com (Marcy Dermansky)
Eye for Film (Anton Bitel)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
Persepolis is a poignant tale, powerfully told through the simplest of means, that should resonate with viewers of all backgrounds. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Persepolis austere as it may look, is full of warmth and surprise, alive with humor and a fierce independence of spirit. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Just Press Play
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis is the authorâs autobiographical tale that also serves as an insiderâs look at the history of her home country of Iran. If you have read the comic book, then youâve pretty mu ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Just Press Play
Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
ReelzChannel (Heather Huntington)
Persepolis has been taking film festivals by storm this awards season--and it's easy to know why. Based on Marjane Satrapi's popular autobiographical graphic novel about her coming of age in Iran before the Islamic Revolution, it follows Marji (voiced by ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ReelzChannel (Heather Huntington)
Thoughts on Film (Mark Moreland)
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
Persepolis is based on writer and co-director Marjane Satrapi's semi-autobiographical series of graphic novels, about a young Iranian girl growing up during the Islamic Revolution. It deservedly shared the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Cannes Film ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
Empire Magazine [UK]
Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
The film spans the political turmoil in Iran from 1978 through the mid -1990's. How little Marjane, who was a child when the Shah was overthrown, perceives the vastly changing world around her is the heart and soul of the film. How does a kid understand ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Cinepinion (Henry Stewart)
Less the tale of Iran told through one woman than the tale of one self-absorbed woman incidentally set in Iran ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Cinepinion (Henry Stewart)
Hollywood.com (Brian Marder)
Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
As with Art Spiegelman's gold-standard graphic novel Maus , Iranian author Marjane Satrapi's acclaimed series Persepolis directly confronts the political via the personal. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
Cinematical (James Rocchi)
Marjane Satrapi grew up in Iran, living through the end of the Shah's regime, the revolution that overthrew the Shah, and the establishment of the fundamentalist government that imposed increasingly strict rules upon the Iranian people, especially girls ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Cinematical (James Rocchi)
Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
It's The 400 Blows viewed from behind a veil and drawn with a graceful, ironic black-and-white pen. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Ruthless Reviews (--)
When I embarked on this adventure we call the Telluride Film Festival, who knew that when the bags were packed and the banners torn down, the best and most rewarding experience would come from France in the form of an animated film about the Islamic ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Ruthless Reviews (--)
Palo Alto Online (Susan Tavernetti)
TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Named for the ancient capital of what was one called Persia, Satrapi's story is also a timely and deeply personal glimpse of life in Iran before, during and after the 1979 revolution that ended the reign of the Shah and ushered in a new era. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
L.A. Weekly (Scott Foundas)
Among the most original and moving films at Cannes this year, marked by a highly expressive and varied drawing style and the sense of a plucky young woman navigating the turbulent currents of politics, family and adolescence. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at L.A. Weekly (Scott Foundas)
Globe and Mail (--)
The film has to simplify the story, but it allows more breadth to develop one lovely character particular, Satrapi's beautiful grandmother. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Globe and Mail (--)
New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
The black-and-white animation won't dazzle your eyes, but everything else about Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's adaptation of Satrapi's graphic comic book series Persepolis will hold you in its thrall. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
The Globe and Mail
New York Post (V.A. Musetto)
AT first glance, Marjane Satrapi's two graphic novels about growing up in Iran seem unlikely candidates for a film, let alone an animated one. But, lo and behold, the books have been superbly brought to the screen in "Persepolis."
The film and the ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Post (V.A. Musetto)
Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)
Illustrates that the extent to which fundamentalism has tightened its band around our artistic selves is leading both countries (ours and hers) into that old danse macabre. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)
RopeofSilicon (Brad Brevet)
Wanna hear about a unique idea for an animated film? How about a film based on a four-volume series of graphic novels centering on 8-year-old Marjane Satrapi, a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Yeah, not exactly the first ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at RopeofSilicon (Brad Brevet)
Parent Previews
european-films.net (Boyd van Hoeij)
Quite simply one of the best book adaptations and animated films to have come out of Europe in recent years, Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaudâs Persepolis is a film experience one is unlikely to forget. The film won a shared Grand Prix at the recen ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at european-films.net (Boyd van Hoeij)
Plume Noire (--)
A film about exile, Persepolis surprises with its formal control and the depth of its subject matter. A personal history everyone can relate to, told with a knowing mix of humor and nostalgia. Adapted from Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel by the author ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Plume Noire (--)
Screen International (--)
Fears that the often hard-hitting Persepolis would become cutesified and watered down in this feature-length animated adaptation are mostly unfounded: directed by Satrapi herself with the help of underground comic artist Vincent Paronnaud, the film is ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Screen International (--)
WBAI Web Radio (Prairie Miller)
While girl coming of age films in the United States more often than not shed a narrow spotlight on boys and bras, the tragicomic screen-toon Persopolis has something far greater in mind. Namely, a boldly refreshing awakening to the world out there that ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at WBAI Web Radio (Prairie Miller)
Chicago Tribune (Geoff Berkshire)
An animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapiâs acclaimed graphic novel about her own experiences growing up in Tehran, Iran during the time of the Islamic Revolution. As fundamentalism begins to sweep the nation, her fiercely independent parents decide to ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Chicago Tribune (Geoff Berkshire)
Variety (Lisa Nesselson)
France-based Satrapi, who co-directed with fellow illustrator Vincent Paronnaud, is a sterling example of what good advice "Write (and draw) what you know" can be in gifted hands. Pic's specificity is what renders it universal.From Baltimore to Beijing, ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Variety (Lisa Nesselson)
Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
It always seems like there's one very strong, very different animated film that gives the mundane, computer-generated 'toons a run for their money come Oscar time, and this is almost certainly going to be this year's version. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
Discussions may grow heated following the premiere of "Persepolis" at the Festival de Cannes. But those discussions will focus more on the movie's politics than art. "Persepolis" is an animated feature by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud based on ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Hollywood Reporter (Kirk Honeycutt)
cinemattraction (Robert Levin)
Thereâs a tendency, given the current belligerent global posturing of the Iranian government and its unwillingness to combat domestically brewed terrorism, to automatically lump its entire populace in the same extremist boat. Therefore, whatâs most ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at cinemattraction (Robert Levin)
New Yorker (Anthony Lane)
What do we fear more, song or blood? History would propose the latter, whatever the claim advanced by the collected works of Meat Loaf. But that, it seems, is not the view at Warner Bros. The company has the delicate task of selling the new Tim Burton ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New Yorker (Anthony Lane)
The Hollywood Reporter
Discussions may grow heated following the premiere of "Persepolis" at the Festival de Cannes. But those discussions will focus more on the movie's politics than art. "Persepolis" is an animated feature by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud based on ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at The Hollywood Reporter
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
People who have no interest in graphic novels often think the people who love them are nuts, and vice versa. But every once in a while, there's a book -- or a set of books -- potent enough to close the gap between the people who read "comics" and the ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
One of the s most creative and original films of 2007 is the animated âPersepolis,â which was honored as the closing night film at the New York Film Festival. Now getting its commercial release, âPersepolis,â on my best ten list, is an adaptation ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
Newsweek (David Ansen)
A wonderful spiritâdefiant, funny, tender, self-mockingâsuffuses "Persepolis," the entrancing animated film that Marjane Satrapi and codirector Vincent Paronnaud have made from Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novels. "Persepolis" isn't like any ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Newsweek (David Ansen)
New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
Persepolis is an exhilarating reminder of what animation can do that other media canât. Not the computer-generated, multidimensional animation that now dominates Hollywood: With zillion-dollar budgets and batteries of gag writers and armies of artists ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Magazine (David Edelstein)
The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
âPersepolisâ is a simple story told by simple means. Like Marjane Satrapiâs book, on which it is based, the film, directed by Ms. Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, consists essentially of a series of monochrome drawings, their bold black lines washed w ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
The characters in Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" (co-directed with Vincent Paronnaud) are simple, friendly black-and-white line drawings, as uncomplicated as characters in a children's book. Which is precisely what throws you when they get themselves put ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
Indiewire
At a moment in history where Iran, famously dubbed one-third of an "Axis of Evil" by Dubya, has again been making headlines as the next country with whom the Republicans wanna preemptively rumble (though the NIE's latest report on its lack of a nuclear ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Indiewire
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Metromix.com (Geoff Berkshire)
A strong contender for this year's foreign language film Oscar -- and the only worthy competition for Ratatouille in the animated film category. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Metromix.com (Geoff Berkshire)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Film-Forward.com (Kent Turner)
Satrapi is as engaging and wry a storyteller on the screen as she is on the page. Her most difficult decision must have been deciding what to omit from the books. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Film-Forward.com (Kent Turner)
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
ShowBizCafe.com (Ted Faraone)
RogerEbert.com (Jim Emerson)
What is that supposedly ancient Chinese curse? "May you live in interesting times"? The proverb may be of dubious origin, but it captures the fate of Marjane, the heroine of "Persepolis," in a Persian nutshell. The precocious Iranian girl is born during ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at RogerEbert.com (Jim Emerson)
Village Voice (Nick Pinkerton)
Persepolis is a small landmark in feature animation. Not because of technical innovationâthough it moves fluidly enough, and its drawings have a handcrafted charm forgotten in the era of the cross-promoted-to-saturation CGI-'toon juggernautsâbut becau ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Village Voice (Nick Pinkerton)
New York Observer (Andrew Sarris)
Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaudâs Persepolis is based on the graphic novels by Ms. Satrapi (Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return). The film and the novels derive their title from the name of the Persian ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Observer (Andrew Sarris)
Boxoffice Magazine (Richard Mowe)
Anyone with lurking suspicions that animation is purely for kids should have those preconceived ideas totally overturned by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's Persepolis, which won the shared jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Richard Mowe)
Slate (Dana Stevens)
When Ratatouille was released this past summer, I thought it was one of the best animated films I'd ever seenâcertainly finer than anything else in that category that could come along in the same year. I still hold Pixar's gourmet rodent near to my ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at Slate (Dana Stevens)
New York Press (Eric Kohn)
Language is key to the success of the animated oddity Persepolis. Not the spoken languageâwhich is French, even though most of time weâre supposed to imagine that the Iranian characters are conversing in Persian. The ingenuity lies in the movieâs vi ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at New York Press (Eric Kohn)
Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
MovieMartyr.com (Jeremy Heilman)
With the political message of Persepolis considerably softened, the overall effect is dulled significantly. ...read the complete Persepolis movie review at MovieMartyr.com (Jeremy Heilman)
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