This movie definitely kept me interested, that's one thing that I have absolutely no complaints about. Sally Field outdid herself as the American wife Betty of Alfred Miloni who plays her Iranian husband Moody who seems to change into a very different kind of person once on his soil.

Moody's character transformation from loving husband to pcychotic wife abuser in my belief may have been something more like this: Moody already had temperamental issues which he just suppressed more back in the states. He was a doctor, educated, and he was aware of the laws in America and knew that while still there, he would've never gotten away with physically beating up Betty and refusing to let her use the phone or leave the house. He knew that he could get away of doing those things once they were in a country free of those laws, and he then did so. Moody already had underlying qualities about him from the start, he lied to his wife while holding the Koran and told her that they were going to Iran on a 2 week vacation. The reason is obvious that she would've refused to go if he told her the truth of his intentions back in the states, and if he'd hit her and ordered her around tyrannically there, Betty could've easily of gotten the police, gotten her family involved, and filed for a divorce and gotten custody of their daughter Matoff because he abused her. But in Iran, he knew that he'd get custody of Matoff if they divorced. Also, later in the film when Betty's dad is deathly ill back in the states, Moody allows her to go back to America to see her dad, but refuses to let her take Matoff, the simple reason being that Moody knew that she wouldn't return if they both went back. Moody wasn't stupid, he knew that inspite of her desperate desire to leave Iran, the one thing that would garuntee her return would be if Matoff was still there. He knew that she wouldn't be able to cope anywhere without her daughter, hence the title of this movie.

Moody's Iranian family is huge, his greeting at the airport looked almost like a crowd of fans welcoming a celebrity. They drive to his family's house, and there's a disturbing moment on screen of their arrival of a sheep being slaughtered in front of the house while Matoff is understandably upser by seeing that, and Moody telling Betty to step over it for Islamic reasons. It was a sacrificial animal slaughter which still happens in Islamic countries. While staying there, Betty notices how Moody's family doesn't make her feel welcome, and she also notices the loud verbal arguments between Moody and his family, which Moody then tells Betty that it's over him having become Americanized, him having been away from them so long, and falling away of the Islamic faith. That factor makes it seem that his decision to stay was based on that. However, like earlier mentioned, Moody planned to move there all along.

There are several Iranians Betty meets who are decent people. One of the younger women of Moody's family does show a sympathetic spot for Betty. That's seen a few times, including a scene where the whole family starts yelling at Betty, except the younger woman who sits there quietly looking like she feels sorry for Betty over what's happening. The other members of Moody's family are clearly on his side and are also constantly watching her under Moody's request. The other nicer Iranians work for a private organization who feel for Betty and help her make plans to escape Iran. These Iranians, of course, are not part of the typical fundamentalist Iranians like Moody's family, and are in fact not only betraying Islamic culture but seriously breaking Iranian laws. But, they are the good guys to Betty and Matoff and the fundamentalists aren't.

Moody's outbursts get worse over the duration of the film and Betty's beatings keep getting more severe. It starts becoming very easy to root for Betty. I've read debates on the accuracy of this movie, and honestly, I'm not sure what's the truth on what really happened. But I do know that this is Betty's side of the story. If the movie isn't completely accurate, then this movie can be seen as an attack on Iranians. That's the main thing which hurt an otherwise intriguing and interesting movie.

I'm sorry that some people feel that a true story is some sort of Iran bashing. I'm also sorry that so many middle eastern countries are primitive and have little respect for women or their right to equality.

Sally Field did a great job in this movie, and yes since it's a true story - it actually happened - how about that? Yes it made me hate Moody and his family - and why not it portrayed their evil. And evil is exactly what they were so the movie did exactly what it should have. I think this movie is another great insight as to what goes on in the middle east and certainly doesn't deserve any of the criticism found in these forums.

I can't understand why this movie was called racist! It happened and there is a prevalent problem with some child custody cases involving parents from different countries. I did read Betty Mahmoody's sequel book entitled "For the Love of a Child" . It basically deals with the aftermath of her escape from Iran with Mahtoob, but she also writes about other cases where children from such marriages (one parent from a foreign country) who use the international system to hold their children hostage against the other parent. I recommend this book more than "Not Without My Daughter" It shows the nightmare of losing your child to international courts in nasty child custody battles. I had no idea it was such heartache.