Film Critique: Circumstance

So it seems I've become a movie critic! I recently (after several sittings) finished watching Maryam Keshavarz's 2011 film, Circumstance, and here is what I have to say:

(Note, this is an extension of my review on imdb.com, where I gave the film 4 stars out of 10. I also gave it 2 out of 5 on Netflix. Unlike the imdb review, this one contains spoilers).

James Greenberg of "The Hollywood Reporter" characterizes Maryam Keshavarz as "[a] filmmaker with something to say and the talent to say it". Please, I'll give her the first, but not the second. This film tries to say too many things at once and fails to get anything substantial across. It points (far too briefly) at many issues, including:

-Homosexuality in Iran, being forced to live closeted and/or succumb to social norms (this seems to be the main point of the film, embodied by Shireen and Atefeh's doomed love).
-Sexual repression, leading either to rebellion or to a diseased expression of sexuality (Mehran's fantasies, his spying, the man with the foot fetish with whom Shireen hitches a ride).
-Women's rights and (lack of) equality in a patriarchal society (the idea that parents--especially fathers--should  should "control" their daughters and husbands, their wives; spousal abuse and marital rape).
-The enforcement of religious law and shaming of youth (especially women) who fail to comply (the arrest of Shireen and Atefeh)
-Political corruption and religious hypocrisy (Acceptance of bribes by officials, the characters of the mullah and of Mehran)
-Freedom of speech and political dissent (or the lack thereof): (The mention that Shireen's parents were political)
-The invasion of personal freedom by police and the government's rigid control of people's lives. (The medical examination--or rape??--of Atefeh without her consent or that of her parents, the party-crashing conducted by police).

Each of which could be a film on its own, but altogether in this laughably muddled film, form a confusing mess. The film is also riddled by plot inconsistencies and holes, and does not seem to have much logical flow:

-There are false starts or seemingly random, unfinished scenes, as if the director could not decide what she wanted to explore in the film: partying scenes, especially the second one in which Shireen appears delirious, start and end abruptly. Why do the girls steal a purse? What is going on with Shireen at school? At the beginning it appears that the film takes place during the school year, but afterwards there are no school scenes and much partying and vacationing, so when does the story take place? Why are the girls arrested? Why is there no follow-up after Shireen leaves the movie store alone?

-Mehran claims he no longer wishes to pursue music, but later helps Shireen when she attempts to play moonlight sonata.
-Mehran is disgusted by his sister, but falls in love with her best friend, who engages in the same "dirty" activities as Shireen. Granted, she seems rather shy and has apparently been "initiated" by Atefeh, but it is very odd that he is still interested, especially given his newfound faith.
-At the end of the film, Mehran states that he will not allow his wife to sing, presumably due to his new-found faith. However, she is at a celebration where unrelated men are present, and is not wearing hijab, which Mehran says nothing about.
 
Note: Mehran appears to be a confused and contradictory character himself, and possibly represents a similar confusion throughout Iranian society, but his inconsistencies are very strange.

Another criticism is that the film is incredibly shallow in that its major focus (especially in the first half) and the apparent goal of the lead characters, is a life of reckless clubbing and partying. Sadly, it is true that some youth in Iran are deceived by the seeming glamour of the "Hollywood" lifestyle, but I feel that takes away a lot from what this film could have been. Not until the second half do many of the social and political criticisms begin to come through.

The film also presents some issues in a way that does not represent the true situation in Iran. For instance, the "foot fetish" man acts in a very strange manner towards Shireen. The verbal abuse of the morality police is also unnecessarily harsh and appears random. The film also has neither the look nor feel of Iran. Granted, the director, like the cast, did not grow up in Iran and spent most of her life abroad, but that does not abate my disappointment. Shireen has an incredibly thick accent and speaks throughout the film as if she is on some kind of sedative.

I'll give the director points for bravery and some touching scenes toward the end, but the film has little focus. To her credit, the film ends on a quite realistic note, which is the acceptance of "Circumstance" and living a lie, something many Iranians are forced to do. But, I recommend that if you want to learn something about Iran's society today, watch a good documentary (Divorce, Iranian Style, is one I have seen a bit of and appears to be an excellent example of good, poignant journalism), or better yet, if you can, live there for a while!