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Not Without My Daughter

Not Without My Daughter

In 1984, Betty Mahmoody's husband took his wife and daughter to meet his family in Iran. He swore they would be safe. They would be happy. They would be free to leave. He lied.

1991116 minPG-13Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Director
Brian Gilbert
Starring
Sally Field, Alfred Molina, Sheila Rosenthal, Roshan Seth

An American woman, trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutish husband, must find a way to escape with her daughter as well.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Not Without My Daughter?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Not Without My Daughter streaming on Pluto TV (free), The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Highlights

What stands out about Not Without My Daughter?

Not Without My Daughter earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Not Without My Daughter worth watching?

Not Without My Daughter's Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all films, from 46K ratings across 6 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of films

71st percentile among Drama71st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)63rd

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

74th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 1990s

Critics 57 · Audience 68

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

58% liked it

63rd percentile of all films

63rd percentile among Drama66th percentile among 1990s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 71%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

46K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Drama86th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$3.8M
Domestic gross$15M
Worldwide gross$15M

87th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a one-sided dramatization of Betty Mahmoody's experience, told entirely from the American wife's perspective.

Fans praised

  • Sally Field's gripping performance conveys desperation and maternal ferocity
  • Escalating tension of a mother's relentless escape plan
  • Sheds light on a real international custody nightmare

Detractors panned

  • Racist caricature that demonizes all Iranians and Islam
  • Husband's character lacks believable motivation for his sudden transformation
  • Loaded anti-Iran propaganda political intent overriding storytelling

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Sally Field's anguished maternal performance praised; detractors cite overacting

Emotional impactDivisive65

Harrowing viewing experience for fans; detractors find it empty manipulation

AtmosphereDivisive60

Claustrophobic sense of entrapment; detractors say setting feels fake

Plot and storyDivisive55

Gripping true-story premise but criticized as simplistic and predictable

PacingDivisive55

Drags in middle but tense sequences are effective for fans

CharactersDivisive35

Moody's sudden Jekyll-and-Hyde turn criticized as implausible

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 34 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 15 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Not Without My Daughter like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you angry. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its harrowing subject matter completely straight, without irony or undercutting, asking the audience to take Betty's fear and desperation at face value.
The rideThe mood is dominated by a sustained sense of dread and tension, with a shift toward hope during the escape attempt near the end.
StructureThe story follows a linear chronology from the couple's life in America, through the deception in Iran, to the tense escape attempt.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Angry.

Infuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.Hopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lasting outrage at the injustice Betty faces and a cautious hope from her eventual escape.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBetty's journey to escape Iran with her daughter is a rescue mission where she must navigate obstacles, deception, and danger to save Mahtob from being trapped.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFamily bondsOppression · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a mother's struggle to survive and escape an oppressive situation while protecting her child.
StanceThe film warns about the dangers of manipulation and cultural oppression from the intimate perspective of a mother's ordeal.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Jerry Goldsmith
SettingTehran, Iran, early 1990s
MusicJerry Goldsmith's score underscores the tension and emotional weight of Betty's plight.

Content guide

Is Not Without My Daughter okay for kids?

PG-13

Not Without My Daughter is rated PG-13. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (49/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at moderate (37/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (3/100) and frightening material at intense (75/100). Overall it is heavier than 71% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands14
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 71% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 52%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 24%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 36%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 2%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 94%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Not Without My Daughter have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Not Without My Daughter?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Sally Field
as Betty Mahmoody
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alfred Molina
as Moody
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Sheila Rosenthal
as Mahtob
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Roshan Seth
as Houssein
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sarah Badel
as Nicole
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mony Rey
as Ameh Bozorg
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Georges Corraface
as Mohsen
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mary Nell Santacroce
as Grandma
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ed Grady
as Grandpa
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Marc Gowan
as Doctor
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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What are movies like Not Without My Daughter?

Movies like Not Without My Daughter include Rosewater (2014), Midnight Express (1978) and The Devil's Double (2011). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the Middle East, and several are films about oppression.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its character type: captor and captive. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Not Without My Daughter?

682 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: prison drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.