Click to read the article
Maryam (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:34
Fresh:26
Rotten:8
Average Rating:6.8/10
Runtime: 90 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Feb 22, 2002 Limited
Synopsis: Opening with a montage of news footage of the Islamic revolution in Iran and the exile of the Shah, set to The Cars' "Good Times Roll," MARYAM depicts the patriotic fervor and anti-Iranian... Opening with a montage of news footage of the Islamic revolution in Iran and the exile of the Shah, set to The Cars' "Good Times Roll," MARYAM depicts the patriotic fervor and anti-Iranian sentiment of America in 1979 through the eyes of an assimilated Iranian American teenage girl (Mariam Parris) who, like most teens, only wants to fit in. Her suburban existence is slightly shaken by the arrival of her cousin, Ali (David Ackert), a fundamentalist Muslim who has come to the U.S. to attend grad school. Ali reveals a terrible family secret that Maryam's mother (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and father (Shaun Toub) have kept from her. The family's peaceful middle class life is thrown into turmoil when the hostage crisis in Iran brings the bigotry in their white suburban community to the fore. Parris delivers a strong and sympathetic performance as a shy, pretty teen whose growing political and personal awareness brings on an emotional upheaval. First-time writer-director Ramin Serry has created a deeply personal film about an international crisis. His treatment of the subject is fair-minded and insightful. Working with a limited budget, he captures the specific flavor of 1979 and the universal angst of adolescence with equal aplomb. [More]
Starring: Mariam Parris, Shaun Toub, David Ackert, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Starring: Mariam Parris, Shaun Toub, David Ackert, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Maziyar Jobrani, Sabine Singh, Victor Jory, Michael Blieden, Jason Nash
Director: Ramin Serry
Director: Ramin Serry
Screenwriter: Ramin Serry
Producer: Shauna Lyon
Composer: Ahrin Mishan
Studio: Streetlight Films
Get This Movie
Reviews for Maryam
Smarter in its message than its execution, this is still a thought-provoking rental.
First-time writer-director Serry shows a remarkable gift for storytelling with this moving, effective little film.
High on melodrama. But it's emotionally engrossing, too, thanks to strong, credible performances from the whole cast.
A searing reminder of the relevance of recent history and of the timeless power of fiction to humanize people and crystallize sweeping events into personal drama.
It's a very sincere work, but it would be better as a diary or documentary.
A quietly moving look back at what it was to be Iranian-American in 1979.
It takes this never-ending confusion and hatred, puts a human face on it, evokes shame among all who are party to it and even promotes understanding.
captures that perverse element of the Kafkaesque where identity, overnight, is robbed and replaced with a persecuted "other."
The film is powerful, accessible and funny. You won't miss its messages, but you'll be entertained as well.
The picture would be better suited to public television, where its modest character will be more at home and its didacticism perhaps less blatant.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


