Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Universal Language

Play trailer 2:08 Poster for Universal Language In Theaters Fri Feb 14 1h 29m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 41 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
In a mysterious and surreal interzone somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, the lives of multiple characters interweave with each other in surprising and mysterious ways. Gradeschoolers Negin and Nazgol find a sum of money frozen in the winter ice and try to claim it. Meanwhile, Massoud leads a group of increasingly-befuddled tourists through the monuments and historic sites of Winnipeg. Matthew quits his meaningless job in a Québecois government office and sets out upon an enigmatic journey to visit his mother. Space, time and personal identities crossfade, interweave and echo into a surreal comedy of misdirection.
Coming Soon In Theaters Fri Feb 14 Reserve Tickets
Universal Language

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bridging two nations with a clever and surreal conceit, Universal Language is a culture clash comedy brimming with wisdom.

Read Critics Reviews

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

Critics Reviews

View All (41) Critics Reviews
Nick Schager The Daily Beast An off-kilter creation that feels like the wacko offspring of Aki Kaurism?ki and Abbas Kiarostami’s cinemas. Oct 9, 2024 Full Review David Robb Slant Magazine Though juxtaposing Canada’s drabness and relative lack of heritage with Iran’s millennia of unbroken tradition brings out the former aspects particularly clearly, Universal Language is aiming beyond mere satire or culture-clash playfulness. Rated: 3/4 Sep 8, 2024 Full Review Alexandra Heller-Nicholas AWFJ.org Wholly original and brought to life with an overwhelming sense of charm and sincerity, Universal Language is a film like no other. Aug 26, 2024 Full Review Peter Keough Arts Fuse Remarkably, this kaleidoscope of weirdness and seeming loose ends ties together in an astonishing conclusion. Jan 17, 2025 Full Review Frank J. Avella The Contending Universal Language...explores humanity’s interdependence—how, despite the horrors of life, we are all connected—how cinema brings us all together in profound, unexpected ways. And he does so in such a fanciful, fantastical and delightful manner. Rated: A Dec 19, 2024 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Universal Language generally stumbles from one ill-conceived set-piece to the next with little thought towards coherence or forward momentum... Rated: 0/4 Dec 19, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews
View All videos

Universal Language

Universal Language: Trailer 1 Universal Language: Trailer 1 2:08 View more videos
View All Universal Language photos

Universal Language

View more photos

More Like This

View All Movies in Theaters
Weak Layers 40% 91% Weak Layers Watchlist TRAILER for Weak Layers Christmess 100% 70% Christmess Watchlist TRAILER for Christmess Thelma 98% 83% Thelma Watchlist TRAILER for Thelma Switched at Death % % Switched at Death Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In a mysterious and surreal interzone somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, the lives of multiple characters interweave with each other in surprising and mysterious ways. Gradeschoolers Negin and Nazgol find a sum of money frozen in the winter ice and try to claim it. Meanwhile, Massoud leads a group of increasingly-befuddled tourists through the monuments and historic sites of Winnipeg. Matthew quits his meaningless job in a Québecois government office and sets out upon an enigmatic journey to visit his mother. Space, time and personal identities crossfade, interweave and echo into a surreal comedy of misdirection.
Director
Matthew Rankin
Producer
Sylvain Corbeil
Screenwriter
Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Matthew Rankin, Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi
Distributor
Oscilloscope Laboratories
Production Co
Metafilms
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
Persian
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 14, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 29m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)