Circumstance – review

Sexually, politically and narratively ambitious, this debut from Persian-American film-maker Maryam Keshavarz nonetheless suffers from a certain clodding gloss in its style. The doomy fling of best friends-turned-bed buddies Sarah, the daughter of missing intellectuals, and moneybags Nikohl, feels one part Kiarostami to two parts Melrose Place. Keshavarz uses a trowel to feed us her ideas about living under a repressive regime when all you required was a teaspoon. But she has enough promise to keep you curious for her next offering – if she can just get a lighter grip on the ladle.