Not Without My Daughter

We had to watch this movie in law class a while back, and I remember it was a sexist, racist piece of trash. OK, I understand that women are treated unfairly in Iran, sometimes even harshly. And I understand that this was based on a true story. But this movie is so exaggerated, so completely ridiculous in it's portrayal of another culture that it is impossible to recommend. The main character doesn't even TRY to accept the cultural differences, in fact she risks her life just to get back to her soulless suburban homeland of America. Absolutely sickening to see her walk up to the American flag and go "we're home". And yes, this movie does seem to say that all men are evil. I give it a 3/10.

I'm sorry that some people feel that a true story is some sort of Iran bashing. I'm also sorry that so many middle eastern countries are primitive and have little respect for women or their right to equality. Sally Field did a great job in this movie, and yes since it's a true story - it actually happened - how about that? Yes it made me hate Moody and his family - and why not it portrayed their evil. And evil is exactly what they were so the movie did exactly what it should have. I think this movie is another great insight as to what goes on in the middle east and certainly doesn't deserve any of the criticism found in these forums.

Leaving aside for a moment the poor story, plot, credibility as based on a true story, etc. -- the movie comes off as sheer anti-Islam propaganda. Apparently based on a "true" story (whatever that means), the movie completely ignores the point that whatever truth there is to it would simply be that this woman's husband was a psycho with a mental illness. His religion, culture, country of origin are completely irrelevant to this -- and yet in the movie they are made out to be the root causes of his behaviour. As some of the comments on imdb show, this (and the whole anti-Islam tone of the movie that shows Islam and Iranians as a sinister, unfriendly threat) leaves some people with a misguided and foolish view of Islam and/or Iran. (For those people, I sincerely encourage you to look to more credible sources for your cultural & religious education.) Thus, the movie is worse than a waste of time. It's unfortunate that this kind of blatant misinformation (for want of a better word) in the form of entertainment is becoming so common. Oh yeah, the storyline is vaguely absurd (you telling me they had a fairytale marriage for so many years, the wife never noticed anything odd about him, and then the air in Iran suddenly turns him into a nasty monster?) & the direction extremely poor. In short, only see this if you like being slapped in the face.