Review: Appropriate Behavior (2014)

Directed and co-written by Desiree Akhavan

Appropriate Behavior (2014)
Directed and co-written by Desiree Akhavan

I found this movie about the life and death of a lesbian relationship as comedy, set against the very 26-year-old (or so) flailings of a young Persian-American woman (played by Desiree Akhavan, who also directed and co-wrote) completely charming. The filmmaking is very competent, and the editing really pulled it together. Really no slack moments at all.

Because I am 40 years older than these characters and know of young people’s lives and the Brooklyn setting only from other movies and TV, I know I missed dozens of in-jokes, and also lack the ability to judge the versimilitude of its depictions; I can only say that I found the characters and scenarios convincing. Akhavan is an extremely funny and winning performer and I'm surprised she isn't better known. She has real presence.

Available on Amazon Prime. Well worth your time.