APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

Just awesome!

Shirin (Desiree Akhavan), the daughter of well-to-do Iranian expatriates, moves to Brooklyn after a bad breakup with her ex-girlfriend. She has a master’s in journalism, but wants to work with something creative - and ends up finding a job though her best friend teaching film studies to five-year-olds… Just one of the many unexpected and unfortunate situations she experiences during the approx. 90 minutes the film lasts.It starts with the painful breakup between her and Maxine (Rebecca Henderson) and then proceeds with the progression of two parallel storylines: One being the relationship start, middle and end where we see them falling in and out of love and also explores the differences that eventually leads to their breakup (Maxine is an out and proud lesbian who has broken off with her family whereas bisexual Shirin is still very much in the closet – although it’s likely more a don’t ask, don’t tell situation in relation to the family), and secondly her post relationship exploits where she tries to get over the heartbreak through a mix of sexual encounters, retail therapy and also by trying to grow up and take responsibility for her life.It is very well acted throughout, and although I found the first 10-15 minutes somewhat forced and too hipster indie ironic/cool, I really grew to like the characters and found the development of the relationship(s) and her growing maturity convincing. It deals with important issues such as coming out and bisexuality, but in a kind of off-beat way that doesn’t take itself too seriously - all the while demanding our attention and reactions.The extras on the DVD are:- Interview with Director (Desiree Akhavan, the lead actress and also the co-creator and one of the lead actresses in the webseries The Slope) & Producer (Cecilia Frugiuele)- Behind The Scenes featurette- A Met School Masterclass Preview- Desiree Akhavan Q&A at BFI Flare- Theatrical Trailer- Audio Commentary with Director & Producer- Hard of Hearing subtitlesWell worth a look

I can’t recommend this film.

Really funny. Love Desiree Akhavan!

Wonderful film, very real but very funny too.😊

‘Appropriate Behaviour’ is writer, director and star Desiree Akhavan’s debut film, playing a bisexual Iranian-American from Brooklyn who has just broken up with her girlfriend.Shirin is a twenty-something struggling to find her feet in work, relationships, family, and life in general. Her behaviour is typical of a child of first generation immigrants, of accepting her parents Iranian past whilst growing up an American and navigating that path in-between both sides where she can express herself. Shirin can’t bring herself to tell her family about her sexuality, and living with her girlfriend Maxine (Rebecca Henderson).There’s been so many deadpan U.S. Indie’s about entitled 20/30-somethings ambling through their precious lives, trying to be individuals, trying to be creative, going to parties, having relationships, and then talking about their disappointing lives over a decaf semi-skimmed organic flat-white. Regardless of its cliched premise, ‘Appropriate Behaviour’ is a self-deprecatingly honest and often funny film. Akhavan sardonically sends up herself as well as everyone else. Shirin reels off some great one-liners, some pretty brutal, and is involved in some hilarious situations such as when she shops for lingerie.‘Appropriate Behaviour’ succeeds because it doesn’t restrict itself to mere categorisations, Akhavan confidently looks beyond pigeon-holing herself through her ethnicity and sexuality to something that she is comfortable with and only she can really appreciate.Rating: 7/10

Very funny. Enjoyed it very much.

Interesting insight into the life of twenty something white Bourgeois in Brooklyn! They seem to have no worries other than who/when they next have sex, and when they want sex they log into a Brooklyn dating web site and hey presto. Sex with no strings. But the film does show how ultimately such shallow relationships are completely meaningless and unsatisfactory. The dialogue funny and witty if a tad cute and me me me me. You wouldn't think that the world, and the environment face CRISIS. But I guess that is the point my generation at that age were no different ie no less self absorbed.,

An interesting movie, examining a subject still considered taboo 😞 in a cross cultural context, an easy watch, english only

i very best movie ,sexy ,love story ,excelent lesbian movie and love ,moderate sex scenes , not porn ,simple erotic

die Erwartungen waren hoch, hat dieser Film doch Auszeichnungen und wurde sogar am Identities 2015 gezeigt.diese hat er leider nicht erfüllt, trotzdem ein netter Film.

Der Film wurde als witzig angepriesen. ich fand daran überhaupt nichts komisch und habe die Anspielungen wohl auch nicht verstanden. Hab den Film gleich wieder verkauft.