StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Planet Nation LBQ A break up movie with difference, told with on point narrative form and a blazing Independent spirt, this movie is about the journey to post-break up redemption.With current day exploits as Shirin deals with the madness of the relationship break up grieving process, the audience is drawn in to cleverly juxtaposed vignettes that adeptly portray and dissect the reality of the relationship itself from start to finish.At the same time, Shirin finds a new job that offers the opportunity for some personal growth as she reflects on the behaviour of 5-year-olds and has to play the grown up to them, learning there is always a time for play as well as a time for maturity. She eventually learns to face up to coming out to her family and the closure of the relationship.Some beautiful and moving moments, perfectly flawed characters, laugh out loud awkwardness, as well as a gentle edgy tone that together create a totally appropriate feature debut for Akhavan.

jax1492 The movie is a bit different from the normal fish out of water movies, because Shirin is so confused that its all about self loathing.The film promotes being gay as something we should feel so bad for it would seem, but the problem is Shirin is so shallow and unlikable, you forget she is gay or Iranian or whatever, and just don't really care at all.the tag line is about how Shirin doesn't want to be a cliché, well ... she failed cause its nothing more than a bitter, hipster, lesbian, self race hating character ... don't see this film, its not funny or redeeming.

rjones64 "Appropriate Behavior" had all the ingredients I look for in an indie movie. It had characters on the margins of society in Shirin, a bisexual young woman living in New York City and of Iranian descent. It involved locations I will never know well, the aforementioned New York City as seen by the young and tragically hip. It explores a culture of which I'm not a part, that of the young bisexual/gay/lesbian/transgender person living in a big city.Etc. etc. etc.I was all ready to enjoy the heck out of this film at the Key West Film Festival in November 2014. I even skipped another movie that my group was attending and which sounded great. All so I could see something I normally wouldn't have seen in the theaters.I wish I'd gone with my group. Even worse, I managed to talk someone out of going with me instead of with the others and so I felt bad about steering her wrong.While the set up was all there, the execution sure wasn't. The main character truly only seemed interested in her own love life and gave no thought, nor screen time to anything else. For instance, her brother the doctor seemed to have an interesting side plot going on, but the movie never seemed interested in doing more than teasing the viewers. The main character's coming out to her conservative parents was hinted about and teased, but then given all the pomp and attention of a wet noodle going down the drain.Even worse, the main character was supposed to have a lead-in-to-the-third-act epiphany that led to her making changes and sowing the seeds for a happy ending. After our showing ended, the folks in my theater all talked about the movie and none of us had any clue about what the epiphany was supposed to be. Nor could we understand why or how the main character effected the change necessary for that happy ending.So many wasted ideas, so little fleshing out done. In the end, there was not enough reason for us to care.I gave this a five because I thought the acting and cinematography were relatively professional. Too bad neither were given enough substantial plot nor complications to help them live up to their potential.

crystalmh3698 I saw this film at Frameline 38 on June 27, 2014 at 7 pm in San Francisco at the amazing Castro Theater. Writer, director and lead actress Desiree Akhavan shows us the story of Shirin who is a wonderful, loving, flawed, fragile, F**ked up human being just like the rest of us. She will not get over her ex-girlfriend, she looks for love in all the wrong places (with hilarious results) and has very limited success when trying to come out to her family who have a selective hearing problem. The Q & A after the film was wonderful and Ms. Akhavan is clearly the Queer, Persian equivalent of Sandra Bullock - funny, talented, charming, intelligent, beautiful and very comfortable with her awkwardness. Absolutely delightful - go see this film.