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Circumstance
Directed by
Maryam Keshavarz
R
2011
1h 47m
Drama
5.9
86%
68%
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A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager's growing sexual rebellion and her brother's dangerous obsession.
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Where to Watch Circumstance
Amazon Video
Rent $3.79
Buy $5.99
Apple TV
Rent $3.99
Buy $5.99
Fandango At Home
Rent $3.99
Buy $5.99
+3 more
Cast of Circumstance
Nikohl Boosheri
Atafeh
Sarah Kazemy
Shireen
Reza Sixo Safai
Mehran
Soheil Parsa
Firouz
Nasrin Pakkho
Azar Hakimi
Sina Amedson
Hossein
Keon Alexander
Joey
Amir Barghashi
Elie Njeim
Hadi Tabbal
Circumstance Ratings & Reviews
Detroit News
Tom Long
Both Boosheri and Kazemy are newcomers, but their spirited, tender performances -- from the eroticism to the shame and the flights of freedom -- feel completely, devastatingly real.
Denver Post
Lisa Kennedy
[The] film is too much a wounded love story to slide into polemic.
Washington Post
Ann Hornaday
Keshavarz has cast mostly newcomers with surprisingly effective results, especially the gorgeous Kazemy, whose somber beauty and quiet focus give her character the gravitas she deserves.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
More interesting for its cultural views than for its insights into love, sex, family angst, and rebellious youth.
San Francisco Chronicle
G. Allen Johnson
Maryam Keshavarz has announced herself as a bold voice, albeit from exile, in the new Iranian cinema.
Christian Science Monitor
Peter Rainer
Despite its arty veneer and its ostensibly political edge, Circumstance seems more interested in titillation than revelation.
Boston Globe
Ty Burr
"Circumstance'' is a rhapsodic erotic romance that takes place in a cultural prison, and it pulses with a defiance that would be mischievous if it weren't so rip-roaringly angry.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Calvin Wilson
Offers an inside look at Iran in all its cultural complexity.
MovieFreak.com
Sara Michelle Fetters
The final scenes, dominated to a large extent by the stunning open-book grace of Boosheri, took my breath away, and by the time the film was over I was somewhat awestruck by just how deeply the story being told affected me.
Austin Chronicle
Marc Savlov
Its sappy, melodramatic overtones can be overlooked, as this is as much a political statement as it is a love story.
Chicago Reader
J. R. Jones
This impressive debut feature generates plenty of erotic heat, and Nikohl Boosheri, in her first screen role, gives a captivating performance as the sensually awakened heroine.
Salon.com
Andrew O'Hehir
A powerful debut film and a remarkable tale of oppression and liberation, and one that leaps right to the top of the unfortunately brief list of LGBT-themed films set in the Islamic world.
NPR
Mark Jenkins
Circumstance is in many ways an impressive achievement. But its mix of documentary detail and melodramatic plotting ultimately tips toward the latter.
Chicago Tribune
Michael Phillips
The film wages an internal battle between its ripely sensual atmosphere and its often stilted pacing and plotting.
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
Unfortunately, it strays into unlikely melodrama and distracting eroticism.
New York Magazine/Vulture
Logan Hill
The film doesn't feel weighed down with the burden of representation: It's too free-flowing for that, too plot-heavy, too stylish, too romantic, too hot.
New York Daily News
Joe Neumaier
Though some things feel familiar - Atafeh is wealthy, while Shireen is an orphan - Keshavarz's vision is clear and heartfelt, and everyone has an urgency in their eyes.
New York Post
V.A. Musetto
Iran's religious fundamentalists can't be pleased with "Circumstance," a bold denunciation of their country's intolerance, especially toward women.
Wall Street Journal
John Anderson
This is a movie about longing, desire, desperation and the abandonment of principle -- quite a collection of themes, all universal.
TheWrap
Alonso Duralde
Maryam Keshavarz's debut feature contains echoes of The Lives of Others and My Son, the Fanatic, but it stands on its own in its portrayal of everyday people trying to make the best of their circumstances in a restrictive society.
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Circumstance: Dancing
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Circumstance: Smashed Window
Circumstance: Smashed Window
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