MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Desiree Akhavan
By most accounts, breakups are tough; often leaving one side of the relationship reeling in a state of confusion and mourning, unable to find their footing and start fresh. Shirin (Desiree Akhavan) is no different as she’s introduced to the viewer post-breakup, on the train despondent seemingly cycling through a number of questions in her mind – where did it all go wrong and a wealth of what ifs.
Through flashback we learn that Shirin’s relationship with her girlfriend, Maxine (Rebecca Henderson), has recently come to an end as she maneuvers her way through their once-shared apartment collecting her possessions, ultimately being forced to take with her a present she had bought for the two of them and throwing all of it in the corner dumpster; except for the strap-on after some careful consideration, striding forcefully down the street to begin anew. Oscillating between abject dejection and resolute determination to win back Maxine, Shirin begins to move on through a series of increasingly uncomfortable sexual encounters while also detouring occasionally for moments of reflective truth.
Desiree Akhavan (the film’s writer, director, and star) displays an impressive breadth of talents within her debut feature. The script remains fresh and funny, even though the narrative’s framework is a bit familiar, chock full of pointed observations, witty retorts and awkward exchanges. Most of which is delivered superbly by Akhavan, who happens to exhibit quite the range over the film’s brisk runtime, showcasing her comedic timing coupled with a deadpan delivery complemented nicely by her subtle handling of the film’s more emotional sequences housed within the flashback scenes of her crumpling relationship.
The most surprising and, perhaps, promising display of Akhavan’s talents consists of her directorial skills. Akhavan effortlessly weaves together two separate timelines throughout Appropriate Behavior demonstrating a deft understanding of how to effectively utilize flashbacks. With each narrative beginning and ending at the essentially the same point although with Shirin residing in a much different emotional state in each, Akhavan skillfully resolves both while keeping them open-ended simultaneously. The film leisurely strolls between both time frames and yet, while doing so, Akhavan never loses focus on the humor; the humor remains throughout in different shades.
While Appropriate Behavior is far from a perfect film, it still announces itself as a promising start for Akhavan, a multi-talented individual with a bright future; a wonderful mixture of humorous interactions (where buying underwear can quickly turn into a psychological evaluation), measured emotional drama set to a swift pace and an eclectic soundtrack, rounded out with a fantastic supporting cast.
