APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Directed by Desiree Akhavan
82 min | 2013 | USA | Not Rated
Iranian-American writer and director, Desiree Akhavan, is a triple threat. She wrote, directed, and stars in her latest film, Appropriate Behavior. With Lena-Dunham-like-wit (Akhavan actually is joining the cast of Girls in the fourth season), and as talented as Tina Fey, Akhavan shows off her talents as Shirin, the sexual, beautiful, Brooklynite reeling from a recent breakup with her long-time girlfriend.
Thus begins Shirin’s rebound period, which is soon inconveniently complicated by the announcement of her brother’s engagement to a parentally-pleasing Persian girl. Shirin engages in a range of intriguing sexual encounters, experiences hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking flashbacks, and makes half-hearted attempts to be a good daughter, which usually requires lying by omission. Ultimately, Shirin’s challenge is to learn to live with herself, and it’s often fun, occasionally painful, but always thoroughly entertaining to watch her figuring out who she is.
Official Selection: 2014 Sundance Film Festival, 2014 Frameline38 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival