Not Without My Daughter (1991)

The story told in NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER is a straightforward tale of an abusive man who traps his wife and daughter in a place from which there is no escape unless the wife agrees to go home by herself. Which naturally she refuses to do.I read the book; there was nothing in it to make me doubt Betty Mahmoody's story one iota. Those of you who are screaming "bigotry, racism, and lies" would do well to look inside your own hearts because I suspect there's plenty of duplicity in there.Sally Field delivers her usual powerhouse performance as the mother and Alfred Molina is surprisingly sympathetic as her husband. He's abusive, yes, but he is also a man caught between two completely different value systems and in the end one can't help but empathize with his inability to reconcile his love for his wife and daughter (read the book; there was plenty of love there in the beginning) and the loyalty he cannot help but feel towards his family in Tehran."People! Take your meds!" ~ Judge Elizabeth Donnelly (Judith Light), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit;" episode titled "Zebras."

The story of Betty Mahmoody is a truly frightening one. The book she wrote and this movie based on it are controversial (many see it as little more than a racist slam against Iranian culture) but to me this movie came across as both believable and balanced. There's no doubt that life in Iran isn't presented as paradise, but the story really isn't about life in Iran; it's about one woman's experience of being forced to remain in Iran against her will after she and her daughter accompany her Iranian born doctor husband back to his homeland to visit his family, and about her subsequent efforts to escape Iran with her daughter. It also does a great job of depicting the almost complete lack of rights and freedoms women possess in Iran - having a status as little more than property to their husbands, and subject to their complete control.Sally Field was excellent in the role of Betty and Alfred Molina was also disturbingly believable as "Moody" - her husband. As the story opens, the family are living a comfortable life in Michigan and Moody is a completely Americanized doctor working in a local hospital - a loving husband and father. Against her better judgement, Betty agrees to visit his family in Iran - a family more radically Islamic than Moody who from the moment they arrive begin to pressure him to stay and adopt their ways. Molina did a good job of showing the gradual changes in Moody's character and as he becomes more and more abusive and controlling toward Betty. Field superbly portrays Betty's growing desperation and her feelings of helplessness (and hopelessness) as every opportunity for her to escape with her daughter seems to close. Finally, with the help of some sympathetic Iranians, Betty and daughter Mahtoub make a mad escape attempt toward Turkey.Whether all aspects of Iranian life and culture are accurately portrayed here seems somewhat beside the point to me. This isn't, after all, a documentary about life in Iran. This is Betty's own story as she experienced it and remembered it - and it's a story that makes the viewer ache for her as she tries to figure out a way to escape this nightmare she's caught up in. I found her story completely believable and brilliantly portrayed.

It sometimes happens that one's world is suddenly turned upside down: A telephone call from the police about a fatal car crash; coming home to find your home in flames, etc. This movie is about how a woman deals with a sudden life-changing event. Sally Field gives a fine performance. The movie will pull you in, you will forget about your life and your troubles, and you will be fully engaged with the drama on the screen.This movie is much better than the (as of this writing) 5.8 rating. The reason is that 11% of the votes are 1's, probably from muslims who want to discourage people from watching this film. So, if you are not Muslim, do not be put off by the mediocre IMDb rating. The movie is excellent cinema.

I'm sorry that some people feel that a true story is some sort of Iran bashing. I'm also sorry that so many middle eastern countries are primitive and have little respect for women or their right to equality.Sally Field did a great job in this movie, and yes since it's a true story - it actually happened - how about that? Yes it made me hate Moody and his family - and why not it portrayed their evil. And evil is exactly what they were so the movie did exactly what it should have. I think this movie is another great insight as to what goes on in the middle east and certainly doesn't deserve any of the criticism found in these forums.