Offside

Name: Offside
Genre: Drama, Sport, Comedy
Released: March 23, 2007
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Ayda Sadeqi, Shayesteh Irani, Sima Mobarak-Shahi

2007

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	Your Score
7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

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Offside

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: March 23, 2007 | PG

Starring: Ayda Sadeqi, Shayesteh Irani, Sima Mobarak-Shahi

Summary: Offside is a smart comedy illustrating the fight for women's rights in Iran. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Director: Jafar Panahi

Genre(s): Drama, Sport, Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 93 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Michael Wilmington

Jafar Panahi of Iran is one of his country's great filmmakers, and Offside is his best movie to date. Read full review

Peter Rainer

The interaction between soldiers and captives becomes a microcosm for an entire culture. It's a wisp of a movie but it has stayed with me longer than much supposedly weightier fare. Read full review

Marrit Ingman

This is Iranian cinema at its most accessible: a bit slow even in its 92 minutes, with more environment than story, but deeply immersive and thought-provoking, and quite often funny. Read full review

Carrie Rickey

Exhilarating, exuberant and drolly funny. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

Women's roles and the eternal fight to expand their rights in Iranian society get a light, hugely entertaining treatment in Jafar Panahi's Offsides. Read full review

A.O. Scott

While the gist of Offside is the same (as "The Circle"), its tone is more insouciant, as it celebrates the guile and toughness of its heroines while casting a sympathetic glance at the ethical quandaries facing their jailers. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

The delicately subversive Mr. Panahi makes his subjects perfectly clear -- the stupidity of authority, and the hypocrisy of discrimination. Offside is surprisingly entertaining, and edifying to boot.

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User Reviews

SeanC.

Jun 11, 2007

Iranian Islamic regime and other world

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Mehowee

Jan 12, 2012

Easy storyline to follow, that highlights lives of women affected by Iranian law. This is conveyed with smart and diverse characters from different backgrounds which makes for an amazing film. Oppression shows the difficulties of Iranian women to the western world, however humour and mutualEasy storyline to follow, that highlights lives of women affected by Iranian law. This is conveyed with smart and diverse characters from different backgrounds which makes for an amazing film. Oppression shows the difficulties of Iranian women to the western world, however humour and mutual interest make it worth watching.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PaulD.

Oct 10, 2007

I was amazed at how such a simple story could be so absorbing, entertaining and humorous. Excellent look at the interplay between the stringent Iranian laws regarding women and human factors, including the personalities of the police and the young women.

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everinquisitive

May 22, 2020

Panahi takes the viewer into the world of women in Tehran, telling the story in ways that feel real, unrehearsed, and genuine. It is an uncommonly vivid vision of modern Iran that we see, with moments that feel more documentary than scripted film. Panahi allows his characters to make theirPanahi takes the viewer into the world of women in Tehran, telling the story in ways that feel real, unrehearsed, and genuine. It is an uncommonly vivid vision of modern Iran that we see, with moments that feel more documentary than scripted film. Panahi allows his characters to make their pleas, yet they then listen to the replies, deepening the story at each new character. Highly recommended.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AndresZ.

Apr 24, 2007

An easy stand-out at this past year's New York Film Festival, Jafar Panahi's Offside is simple yet tough, a film who

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Troubadorjim

Oct 1, 2007

Sure, it wasn't action packed, and the dialog wasn't anything to get excited about , but it definitely hit an emotional chord and made me feel the oppression of Persian women. Offside was a kind of sneak peak into Iran's regime, introducing you to the country's friendly Sure, it wasn't action packed, and the dialog wasn't anything to get excited about , but it definitely hit an emotional chord and made me feel the oppression of Persian women. Offside was a kind of sneak peak into Iran's regime, introducing you to the country's friendly people who, at the end of the day, just want to watch some soccer. I especailly like how Panahi portrayed the male soccer fans as simpathetic to the oppressed females, helping them every chance they got. Not a perfect 10 in my eyes, but definitely worth your time if you're a footie fan or just interested in foreign cinema.… Expand

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Jul 31, 2007

This movie was boring as hell. I've been to Iran many times and I still didn't enjoy it very much even though I managed to watch the whole thing. I got absolutely nothing out of it which is a shame cause I was sort of interested in the topic. Slow, plodding scenes, and ultimately This movie was boring as hell. I've been to Iran many times and I still didn't enjoy it very much even though I managed to watch the whole thing. I got absolutely nothing out of it which is a shame cause I was sort of interested in the topic. Slow, plodding scenes, and ultimately uneventful plot makes NOT recommend this movie at all.… Expand

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