RULE BREAKERS

(director/writer: Bill Guttentag; screenwriter: Bill Bennett, Jason Brown, Elaha Mahboob; cinematographer: John Pardue; editor: Hibah Schweitzer; music: Jeff Beal; cast: Nikohi Boosher (Roya Mahboob), Ali Fazal (Samir Sinha), Noorin Gulamgaus (Ali Mahboob), Amber Afzali (Esin), Sara Malai Rowe (Haadiya), Marriam Saraj (Arezo), Nina Hosseinzadeh (Taara); Runtime: 120; MPAA Rating: PG; producers: Samudrika Arora; Laura Overdeck, Bill Guttentag; Black Autumn Show/Angel Studios; 2025)

“A formulaic feel-good underdog drama.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A formulaic feel-good underdog drama directed in a conventional way by Bill Guttentag (“Only the Dead”/”Knife Fight”) and co-written by him, Bill Bennett, Jason Brown, and Elaha Mahboob. The human rights true story centers around four reserved Afghan girls (Esin-AmberAfzali, Taara-Nina Hosseinzadeh, Haadiya-Sara Malai Rowe, Arezo-Marriam Saraj) who make it against all odds to a worldwide competition in Washington. Everything is predictable (including the uplifting climax). The scenic location shots in Afghanistan make it a curious watch, and also that the girls give warm performances.

Roya Mahboob (Nikohl Boosheri) is a rare woman who owns a tech company in Afghanistan (the first woman to do so). Along with her brother Ali (Noorin Gulamgaus) they assemble a female team to compete in high school robotic competitions, in which he coaches. All the recruits are tribal female Afghans, each is gifted in math or science. They are called the Afghan Dreamers.

Their male-dominated culture looks unkindly upon anything that might encourage females to behave in a forward way, as their strict fathers take a lot of convincing to go along with the plan.

The girls appreciate their support and fully celebrate their win at home, with only the Taliban turning their backs on them.

REVIEWED ON 3/26/2025  GRADE: B-
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