|
WINTER SLEEP Send This Review to a Friend
A brooding, ambitious, atmospheric and long (over three hours) film set it rural Turkey, “Winter Sleep” is more character study than action-filled. Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan and written Ceylan and his wife Ebru Ceylan, the film intensely depicts the bleak setting in which the characters live. Credit the accomplishment in large measure to the impressive cinematography of Gokhan Tiryaki.
The principal character is Aydin, a writer of strongly opinionated editorials and landlord played with an effort to reveal complexity by Haluk Bilginer. Aydin puts on a front as a one with a desire to help others, but he is really a narcissist who is a master at manipulation.
In contrast, we meet a family, tenants in an Aydin-owned home, and there is an especially uncomfortable scene related to his dealings with that family.
Most interesting is Aydin’s relationship with his much younger wife Nihal, played by the quite beautiful Melisa Sozen. Nihal seethes with resentment and bitterness toward him, and yearns to do something to benefit education. She is impressed with a young man who raises funds for such ends.
Aydin mocks her, asserting that she is naïve about such matters and would endanger his reputation. When he gives her money anyhow and offers to keep the financial records straight, this only leads to further animosity and her effort to aid a tenant who refuses to be patronized no matter how much he needs assistance.
Aydin has a sister, Necla, played by Demet Akbag, who also is filled with hostility toward him. She mocks his writing and argues with him about issues . What plot there is consists of whether Aydin will leave for Istanbul or remain on his estate even though he has a rebellious wife.
A problem is that although we can be caught up in some of what’s going on with Aydin and those around him, the film is not compelling enough to warrant its length. One can be affected and admiring of the film’s sweep, yet also somewhat bored looking at this world that seems so remote. Granted though, Aydin makes for quite a character portrait. An Adopt Films release. Reviewed December 19, 2014
|