An American woman, trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutish husband, must find a way to escape with her daughter as well.
Rated 3.5 / 5 from 1 log on Katalog
I knew when I decided to watch it that this movie would be interesting to review and read about. There seems to be a division on Letterboxd about this film’s depiction of Islam and the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is the true story aspect of Not Without My Daughter, which is especially a pressure point. Personally, as someone with middle eastern heritage, I think this movie presents valid criticisms against oppressive religious ideologies that weigh down Iran, and by extension it made me think of similar ideologies in my home country of Turkey. Those of you criticizing this film’s depiction of Betty Mahmoody’s autobiography: if you are quick to shoot this story down for its critical view of Islam, what do you do to address the religion’s many problematic and patriarchal beliefs and traditions? If your reaction is defensive instead of reflective, take a moment to think about the very real impacts that people live through, and that you have no right to say they can’t tell their stories because you’re uncomfortable with the truth. Stop defending harmful cultural practices. For the record, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism should all be criticized for the same patriarchal, intolerant values they uphold. It’s not all Muslims, it’s not all Christians, and it’s not all Jews, but do you defend the extremists that exist by denying they represent your faith? Or do you think about how their justifications for their actions are hidden in plain sight in your doctrines?
