Marjane Satrapi tells her own life story in a highly creative and spirited fashion through Persepolis, which she adapted from her own autobiographic graphic novel and co-directed with Vincent Paronnaud. Satrapi has a fascinating life story that begins in Iran at the time of revolution and proceeds through the war with Iraq and up until she must finally come to grips with the "new Iran," a far more repressive entity than her wily spirit will tolerate. Ultimately, she can no longer compromise herself by living in a nation that demands her to cover her head and shun all vices. She escapes to France, and goes on to make this beautiful little film.What's remarkable about this movie is the snarky, cynical yet inescapably emotional tone it takes. Marjane Satrapi, as both a character here and a director at the helm, offers us a prickly sense of humor that if unafraid to joke and tease about the kind of life and death subjects that prestigious Oscar winning features are made of. She doesn't dwell melodramatically in the dark depths of war, but rather steps constantly forward, portraying a resilience and a humanity that is refreshingly true. She remind us that crisis does not wash away all personality by behaving mostly peeved about the great tragedies at her feet. If there is a scene stealer here it is Marjane's beloved grandmother who delivers whisky soaked one-liners with hilarious ease. And yet, this is also a very poignant film. It is about a specific moment in time and yet it is a far greater tome on the notion of identity - personal, political, and national. Satrapi's family has numerous ties to early resistance efforts and several friends and neighbors fall victim to the battles at hand. In Satrapi's world, people argue fiercely about which one had the relative who was most brutally tortured, allowing for moments of funny self-interest that beget darker emotions about the realities of political upheaval.
This is a film of great power and warm humor. It is self-aware, unpretentious and yet stunningly smart and sophisticated. Satrapi has molded a wonderful personal memoir and coming of age drama that should be admired for its unique approach and its breathtaking cleverness.
Grade: B+
