"Maryam" is all about the title character, an Iranian-American New Jersey teen (Parris), and her family who, in 1979 during the Iranian hostage crisis, inherit Ali (Ackert), a relative from Iran and pro-Ayatollah/anti-Shah college student, who resurrects some painful family issues while everyone suffers from the anti-Iranian sentiments of the time. The story has solid dramatic potential much of which goes unrealized as this highly sanitized indie plays out like Ozzie and Harriet having a really bad day. Among the highlights of the film are a gun actually being fired (one shot), someone saying the F-word, one kiss, a scuffle, a car being trashed, etc. Not for the jaded, not for realists, and not for serious film buffs, "Maryam" may play well for sentimentalists who can buy into anything at the drop of a Kleenex. (C+)
