Persian Lessons simply peaks too early, but you can’t fault director Vadim Perelman (The House of Sand and Fog, The Life Before Her Eyes) for not trying to maintain the audience’s interest.

In 1940s France, captured Jew Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) escapes his own execution by convincing German guards that he’s of Persian descent.  He’s immediately brought to the attention of Nazi commandant Klaus Koch (Lars Eidinger), who assures him safety as long as Gilles isn’t lying and can teach him the Farsi language and dialect – a skill that Koch will use after the war to open his own restaurant.  With only a Persian first-edition book that Gilles acquired on his ride to a transit camp and Koch’s regimented schedule for the tutor, Gilles hastily brainstorms a “version” of Farsi which will, hopefully, buy him enough time to think of another escape.

That secretive conflict between Gilles and Koch is established fairly early in the film’s screenplay (co-written by Ilja Zofin and Wolfgang Kohlhaase, inspired by true events).  However, this first act isn’t a problem because it hooks the audience and compels viewers to find out what happens to these primary characters, notably Gilles.  But, the dynamic between Gilles and Koch becomes plain and loses its tension when other Nazis grow jealous of the attention the “Persian” is receiving.  Perelman’s movie places more attention on these supporting characters, which is an issue because the stakes are not as high for these side stories.  Also, and call me “old-fashioned”, why should we care about Nazis?  Especially Nazis with petty concerns.  These deviations only feel like the screenwriters are padding out their story, which may also reveal that Persian Lessons may have been better tailored as a short.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie