Overview
A gripping tale of betrayal and redemption unfolds in the underbelly of Tehran.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- tense
- visceral
- serious film night
- iranian cinema exploration
What critics said
The film was broadly embraced for its forceful direction, screenplay, performances, and socially charged portrayal of violence and urban criminal networks.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Hashem seeks to restore his standing as neighborhood godfather after Parvaneh's murder and the leaked video.
Hojat moves through underground networks in Tehran while tracing rivals and the source of the scandal.
Hojat is wrongfully accused of drug smuggling and must investigate who engineered the wider conflict.
The leaked women-only swimming-pool video triggers reputational panic and lethal domestic violence.
Films like Butterfly Stroke, and why
A Separation
socially grounded crime drama examining violence, reputation, and marginalized urban communities
The Salesman
morally complex Iranian mystery driven by social pressure and family consequences
The Night of the Hunter
gritty urban crime investigation centered on corruption, masculine honor, and escalating danger
Movie Details
- Director
- Mohammad Kart
- Release Date
- 2020-02-01
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (18)
Cast
- Javad Ezzati
- Amir Aghaei
- Tannaz Tabatabaei
- Ali Shadman
- Mehdi Hosseininia
- Iman Safa
- Nahid Moslemi
- Nader Shahsavari
- Behrooz Panahandeh
- Mohammad Motahari Pour
Common questions
- What is Butterfly Stroke about?
- A brutal Tehran mystery follows a compromised man through criminal networks as he investigates the forces behind his brother’s deadly crisis.
- What is Butterfly Stroke like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Butterfly Stroke as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Butterfly Stroke violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Butterfly Stroke as graphic.
- What did critics think of Butterfly Stroke?
- The film was broadly embraced for its forceful direction, screenplay, performances, and socially charged portrayal of violence and urban criminal networks.
- Which films are like Butterfly Stroke?
- Films with a similar feel include A Separation, The Salesman, and The Night of the Hunter.
- How long is Butterfly Stroke?
- Butterfly Stroke runs 120 minutes.
