In modern-day Tehran, a woman in her 30s, Niloofar (Alireza Aghakhani) lives with her elderly mother whilst running an alterations shop. When her mother falls ill, she is advised to leave the smog-filled city for the cleaner air elsewhere in Iran. As Niloofar is the youngest, and single, she is expected by her domineering brother and the rest of her family to move with her mother. Despite being used to obeying, Niloofar defies them and decides whether to pursue a potential love interest.
Inversion is a film that requires patience. Not only because events unfold at a leisurely pace, but also because the very small white subtitles are sometimes hard to read against the background! Having said that, it is never boring, thanks to the economical storytelling by Behnam Behzadi, who wrote the screenplay as well as directing the film.
Makers of bloated Hollywood blockbusters should note how Behzadi delivers a quite complex narrative in just over 80 minutes, leaving just enough loose ends at the end of the running time. Aghakhani’s finely judges performance carries the film, and she is well supported by the other cast members.
Rating: 8 out of 10