Desiree Akhavan’s near-autonomous feature debut brings honest edge to well-travelled ground.

Though tonal comparisons to both Girls and Frances Ha are easily made throughout, Akhavan’s acute sense of purpose grants a unique and unusual coalescence between desired progression and unwanted ambivalence. As a result, Appropriate Behavior keeps itself refreshingly far removed from the tired “break-up journey” that’s perhaps expected.

However, it is Akhavan’s performance as the angst-ridden Shirin that sees Appropriate Behavior to its willfully voyeuristic points of climax; skillfully driving both humour and heartache through territories often unseen.

Desiree Akhavan’s freely accomplished feature debut brings undoubted talent to new tales of love, loss and lesbianism.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Scott Adsit

DIRECTOR: Desiree Akhavan

WRITERS: Desiree Akhavan

SYNOPSIS: An Iranian bisexual struggles to get over her ex-girlfriend.