Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated coming-of-age tale is poignant, mature.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Persepolis
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say that this animated film is a powerful and artistic portrayal of a young girl's life during the Iranian Revolution, filled with serious themes such as violence, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. While many reviews praise its beautiful animation and storytelling, they caution that the film contains mature content that may not be suitable for younger audiences, suggesting parental discretion is essential.
- powerful storytelling
- beautiful animation
- mature content
- parental discretion
- intense themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Based on writer-director Marjane Satrapi's award-winning graphic novel, PERSEPOLIS closely follows her life as she comes of age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Narrated by Chiara Mastroianni as the adult Marjane, the alternatingly funny and heartbreaking story chronicles how Marjane's immediate family kept their ideals under increasingly oppressive regimes.
Is It Any Good?
Like Art Spiegelman's seminal Holocaust-themed graphic novel Maus, this stirring film explains history from the point of view of one family. More particularly, it focuses on Marjane herself -- from grade-schooler to young adult. The secular, educated Satrapis survive as loved ones are imprisoned, tortured, and executed -- first under the Shah and later under the Islamic revolutionaries. Throughout the years, Marjane is drawn to Western popular culture from Bruce Lee and Bee Gees to Iron Maiden and the Rocky III anthem "Eye of the Tiger" -- even though it's forbidden to own any unapproved books or music.
Marjane's grounding force is her rebellious grandma (voiced by Danielle Darrieux), who makes the girl promise not to lose sight of her family's progressive beliefs and the reasons why her beloved uncle and countless others have died. But sometimes Marjane can't help acting tad immature -- even reckless. That's what makes the film so touching: Amid cultural repression, Marjane, her family, and their close friends still manage to find small ways to subvert authority. And thanks to the regular doses of adolescent humor, this distinctly Iranian tale becomes a universal story anyone can appreciate.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how "the West" is portrayed in the film. Why is American pop culture banned in Iran? What makes it threatening?
How is Marjane's family different? How does Marjane "betray" her heritage once she's abroad? What did you learn about Iranian history and culture from the film?
Do you think that animation was an effective way to tell Marjane's story? How would it have been different if it was live action?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 25, 2007
- On DVD or streaming : June 24, 2008
- Cast : Catherine Deneuve , Chiara Mastroianni , Danielle Darrieux
- Director : Marjane Satrapi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 120 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content.
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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