It Was Just an Accident

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1:55

It Was Just an Accident

PG-13

In Theaters Oct 15

1h 45m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

72 Reviews

Popcornmeter

0 Verified Ratings

What begins as a minor accident sets in motion a series of escalating consequences.

Coming Soon

In Theaters Oct 15

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Critics Consensus

Perhaps the most bluntly political film by Jafar Panahi yet, It Was Just an Accident is a defiant rebuke of authoritarianism that still delivers the entertainment value of a gripping thriller.

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Jafar Panahi

Director

Vahid Mobasseri

Vahid

Ebrahim Azizi

Eghbal

Mariam Afshari

Shiva

Hadis Pakbaten

Golrokh

Majid Panahi

Le marié

Johnny Oleksinski

New York Post

All the way through, Panahi delivers on its fireworks promise with a plot that, while deceptively simple, is alive with moral complexity.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 3, 2025

Full Review

Radheyan Simonpillai

CBC Radio

Undoubtedly one of the year's best, It Was Just An Accident is yet another moving, prickly and hopeful morality tale from Panahi about people (and a society) trying to find a way forward while processing the trauma of the past.

Sep 13, 2025

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Kyle Smith

Wall Street Journal

Panahi smartly plays with ethical questions and the difficulty of certainty in a somewhat overlong tale.

Sep 11, 2025

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Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

A mildly engaging thriller that lacks palpable suspense, emotional depth and any surprises.

Oct 7, 2025

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Yes, it’s all very compelling and, often, quite hilarious. And there’s a lot of tensions, trauma unpacking as well as an obvious and vehement criticism of Iran’s authoritarian regime. And moral questions are weighed over and over.

Rated: B+

Oct 5, 2025

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Harrowing and often darkly absurdist, It Was Just an Accident explores the moral dilemmas of revenge during a kidnapping that could be a case of mistaken identity. This piercing drama also has sharp observations of the damaging effects of oppression.

Oct 1, 2025

Full Review

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Synopsis

What begins as a minor accident sets in motion a series of escalating consequences.

Director: Jafar Panahi
Producer: Jafar Panahi
Screenwriter: Jafar Panahi
Distributor: NEON
Production Co: Les Films Pelléas
Rating: PG-13 (Violence|Smoking|Thematic Elements|Strong Language)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)