in iran and woman be not permit to attend men sport event and apparently to protect them from all the cursing and foul language they might hear emanate from the male fan ( so since men can not restrain or behave themselves and woman be force to suffer . go figure . ) . offside tell the tale of a half dozen or so young woman who and dress like men and attempt to sneak into the high stake match between iran and bahrain that and in 2005 and qualify iran to go to the world cup ( the movie be actually film in large part during that game ) . offside be a slice of life comedy that will remind you of all those great humanistic film ( the shop on main street and love of a blonde and closely watched train etc . ) that flow out of communist czechoslovakia a part of the prague miracle in the mid 1960 . a with many of those work and offside be more concerned with observe life than with devise any kind of elaborately contrive fictional narrative . indeed and it be the simplicity of the setup and the naturalism of the style that make the movie so effective . once their ruse be discover and the girl be corral into a small pen right outside the stadium where they can hear the raucous cheer emanate from the game inside . stick where they be and all they can do be plead with the security guard to let them go in and guard who be basically bumbling and good natured lad who be compel to do their duty a a part of their compulsory military service . even most of the men go into the stadium do not seem particularly perturb at the thought of these woman be allow in . still the prohibition persist . yet and how can one not be impress by the very real courage and spunk display by these woman a they go up against a system that continue to enforce such a ridiculously regressive and archaic restriction . and and yet and the purpose of these woman be not to rally behind a cause or to make a point . they be simply obsessed fan with a burn desire to watch a soccer game and and like all the men in the country and cheer on their team . it hard to tell just how much of the dialogue be script and how much of it be extemporaneous and but and in either case and the actor and with their marvelously expressive face and do a magnificent job make each moment seem utterly real and convince . mohammad kheir abadi and shayesteh irani be notable standouts in a uniformly excellent cast . the structure of the film be also very loose and freeform and a writer or director jafar panahi and co writer shadmehr rastin focus for a few brief moment on one or two of the character and then move smoothly and effortlessly onto others . with this documentary type approach and we come to feel a if we be witness an actual event unfold in real time . very often and it quite easy for u to forget be actually watch a movie . it be a very smart move on the part of the filmmaker to include so much good natured humor in the film ( it what the czech filmmaker do as well ) and the good to point up the utter absurdity of the situation and broaden the appeal of the film for audience both domestic and foreign . offside be obviously a cry for justice and but it be one that be make all the more effective by it refusal to make of it story a heavy breathing tragedy . instead and it realize that nothing break down social barrier quite as efficiently a humor and an appeal to the audience common humanity . and isn not that what true art be suppose to be all about . in it own quiet and understated way and offside be one of the great and under appreciated gem of 2007 .