Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cliché-ridden dance movie has drug content, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Desert Dancer
What's the Story?
As a boy in Iran, Afshin Ghaffarian (Reece Ritchie) stumbles upon a bootleg DVD of Dirty Dancing and longs to become a dancer himself, even though dance is forbidden by the local "morality police," the Basij. He attends a secret arts school and grows up more determined than ever to follow his dream. In 2009, in the midst of the controversial election between reformer Mir-Hossein Mousavi and incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Afshin recruits several fellow college students and forms a secret ballet club. A key member is Elaheh (Freida Pinto), whose mother, a professional dancer from another era, trained her. They decide to put on a performance in the desert for a small audience, but thanks to an informer, the Basij are on their trail.
Is It Any Good?
Based on Afshin Ghaffarian's true story, DESERT DANCER nonetheless relies on a batch of dance movie cliches, from the "forbidden dance" of Footloose to a hokey onstage denouncement at the climax. Certain plot threads, such as Elaheh's heroin addiction, feel tacked on. And others are dropped, such as the fact that Afshin's best friend, Ardi (Tom Cullen), begins as a painter and suddenly switches to dancing with no explanation.
This serious, heavy movie paints a simplistic good-and-evil picture of Iran, with characters speaking English and adopting a Western viewpoint, and director Richard Raymond, making his feature debut, doesn't seem to have enough story to fill out a full-length movie. All that's left is the dancing, which can be beautiful, except that the camera restlessly roams over the performers, as if it's trying to actually dance rather than capture dance. But dance movie fans are still likely to be swept away by the old, familiar moves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Desert Dancer's violence. How far does the movie go to indicate the threat of the morality police? How dangerous do they feel? Do you think they're portrayed realistically? Are they the same as bullies?
Is Afshin Ghaffarian a role model? Do you think his story is told accurately here? Why might filmmakers choose to tweak the facts when adapting a true-life story?
Why do you think Elaheh uses heroin? Does she make heroin use look appealing? Not appealing? Are there realistic consequences for drug use in the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 10, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2015
- Cast : Freida Pinto , Reece Ritchie , Tom Cullen
- Director : Richard Raymond
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Relativity Media
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Arts
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements, some drug material and violence
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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