Ahlat Agaci (2018) Reviews

• Wild Pear Tree: An incomparable experience

  billurdabak2018-06-03

  Is it possible to feel the same things with somebody struggling to build his own life, the difficulties he faces to be free from his parents' expectations or oppressions, to realize that they are not his supporters but his obstacles?.maybe a part of it, yes the duration of the film may be longer than the standards (who determines them?) at the end i felt that every scene was necessary to get closer to Sinan's feelings. Asuman who watches a Yilmaz Guney's film, the mother slapping his son's face scene in that film, maybe inspired her to make "why you didn't get the money from him" conversation with her own son or the imams and Sinan's debate about faith, the famous writer's and Sinan dialogue then conflict..even the scene about the tight budget of the lottery salesman maybe reminded Sinan his father's situation. I feel very lucky to watch this film in its original language and I'm still digesting it but as soon as the film ended, i felt like Idris, Asuman, Sinan and all other people around him are still living there, in that town Çan!

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• Very Powerful No Agitation

  goren-604632019-01-11

  Again another film with lots of characters from real life with universal concerns and problems reflected very successfully... Another part I liked about this film is small town people having some deep existential discussions made very natural where nothing stands out as made up or boring. I must say I am as much or even more intrigued by the father character where him being different, isolated and looked down by others because of somewhat materialistic failures in his life (gambling etc.), but yet somewhat he represents the true success in life by living a self sufficient life in a small basement, with a dog and other animals, still with a sense of humor, with no harm done to anyone or expecting much of anything from anyone, and in the end perhaps being the least depressed. Furthermore certainly by being the only person who cared for his son's writing. Like many people to me the more I think about the film afterwards means the better that film is and I sure still think about, and digest this film and the anecdotes within.

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• The Old Boy And The Young Man.

  merelyaninnuendo2019-01-30

  Ahlat Agaci Bilge Ceylan's making of a book is as meticulous as it can get, throbbing arguments that never crosses the line to be a preaching-to-the-choir tone, this drama is more horror than it claims to be. And similar to the summary of the plot- a son returns hometown after graduation and gets sucked into the sleazy schemes of his gambling father- the first act of the film can arguably considered as a bluff. And the journey of surprising us in each steps after the first act, that it promises to deliver us consistently, has its own cathartic release. But mind you, this game is played subconsciously with us, while the real drama on the screen comes like Rosefeldt's Manifesto- of course without sounding like a pretentious robotic monologue. I would consider this as writers major win among all the others. The writers always had in mind to go deep into hardcore debates of world politics, life changing inspirations and seduce-like negative emotions that grows like cancer as one ages. And their procedure is pure bravura of work, initiating from one of my favorite meetings of our protagonist with his somewhat-like-an-old-lover, the film deals with the social issues that is justified and well crafted out in narration since there was a ticking clock behind them. Cut to another nail-biting argument with an established writer, breaking the wall of celebrity and fan equation, the heating conversation is used as the primary weapon to start initiating on fabricating the other side of our lead character; this is the turning point of the film. Followed by another major discussion of probably everything, among his friends, the writers calls it a day on the preaching note as the viewers are left both cheated and challenged at the brisk of their seat. While our so called hero struggles with the rest of the world like such, along with the nagging of his father's debt collectors, there is an entirely different game played in his house. But frankly, I would pity the actor to even show up on screen to share it with Cemcir, not only for his brilliant performance but the power that the character he plays has on the film. That three dimensional persona never fails to amaze us, from his half crooked smile to his ideologies, his character is peeled off layer by layer. And clearly the makers were most euphoric about him, the way other characters speak about his great deeds and how he is so devoted to his work (in the final act, when his son comes to visit him, he still is keeping an eye on his students) despite of being flawed, just makes him more and more rich. There is a lot to listen and lot to ponder about, but as it was intended, the equation of a father and a son will melt you down in the end and to pull off that scene after implementing the fact that Demirkol leaves him without any help lying on the ground, has got to be the biggest development of the film. The Wild Pear Tree is every bit of wild as it has right to be.

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• Witty and Beautiful

  Raven-19692018-11-04

  The wind rises as Sinan and Hatice kiss at a spring on the outskirts of the forest. It is the threshold of many things, not merely the forest. A few steps in the right direction will lead to love and the fulfillment of dreams. The wrong steps invite heartbreak and the crushing weight of societal expectations. Which way to go?! While Sinan inspires Hatice to let her hair down, a big step in Turkey, he can't seem to help himself. The gambling addiction, fawning desire to please and wild schemes of his father are not where Sinan wants to go, yet understanding his father is the key to understanding himself, for better or worse. Wild pears are isolated misfits, and so are father and son. This witty and beautiful film is full of metaphors, wonderful imagery and deep, intriguing conversations. The film revolves around many interesting themes. Among these themes is that ruptures in the soul should be treated with joy and patience for they help us discover who we are. The cinematography is luminous, mesmerizing and far ranging from lamp lit streets at night, rainfall and close-ups of Hatice's flowing hair. I want to linger in each place. It is a long film, but for what it reveals about contemporary Turkish society and human nature, it is a fantastic bargain and worth the price. From the director of Winter Sleep and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. Seen at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

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• Perfect movie despite its length

  skyisthelimit9252018-06-21

  Nuri Bilge Ceylan is arguably the best director Turkey has ever seen and Ahlat Agaci is definitely one of the best films in recent years that has been made by Turkish directors. The plot, the acting and the cinematography is simply incredible. As a guy who lives in Turkey, it's very rare to see films with a quality. So in that way, I can easily say that Ahlat Agaci is the best movie in the past 4-5 years. What stood out for me in the film was that you basically never get bored even though the film is quite long. No unnecessary scenes, no characters that you hate everytime you see them. Definitely a thing to consider. NBC is so undervalued and underrated, at least in his homecountry. Interestingly enough, European cinema appreciates him and he almost always participates in Cannes Film Festival, but I'm %100 sure that half of Turkey doesn't even know his name. It's sad, but it also says a lot about the general look to cinema sector in Turkey. Thanks to people like NBC, though, we can watch 'real' and 'non-American made' films. Quality film by an incredible director. 10/10

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