We live in a free society, but others aren’t as lucky. The basic freedom of thought and exploration of ideas is something that many can’t take advantage of. That’s the premise of the new film Reading Lolita in Tehran, based on the memoir from Azar Nafisi.

Nafisi was a professor who, along with her husband, chose to return to her home in Iran in 1979. It was with the promise of potential change, but that change proved hard to come by. As the country around her became more difficult and oppressive, she found a way to connect with similarly minded young women who needed some hope.

The film focuses on Nafisi (Golshifteh Farahani) and her life in Tehran over the period of more than 20 years. She starts out with ambition, teaching English and classic works of literature at the university. But as a more conservative and repressive regime takes over, that opportunity dries up. No longer able to do her work and follow her passion in the open, she gets creative.

After years of struggle, she starts a group in her home where like-minded women can gather, learn English, and study classic literature. It’s a place where knowledge and ideas flow, and where the bond between these women can continue to grow. But it’s not without its challenges.

This film is based on Nafisi’s memoir, which tells her story of life over the period from 1979 through the early 2000s. It’s a large swath of history and it tries to take time, focusing on a few different intervals, to paint a picture of life for women in Iran. It’s not always happy and it’s rarely freeing.

There are some good performances in the film, particularly from Farahani in the lead role. Director Eran Riklis does a nice job of creating some emotional moments. There are times, particularly in the scenes with Nafisi and her women’s group, that the story is particularly compelling.

The issue here is this is a dense and important story that takes place over a long period of time. But the film doesn’t go deep enough in bringing it all to life. The intervals feel too short, and don’t allow enough time to fully invest in the others that are brought into Nafisi’s sphere, or to understand the depth of what’s happening in the struggle. I wanted more and I think this might have been better if it was longer or more focused on one specific interval.

Still, this is an important story and one that feels timely. Reading Lolita in Tehran is now playing in limited release.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.