Pardon

Ferhan Sensoy's death left a void in political humor that may never be filled. He was perhaps the only theater actor and comedian who could raise the morale of Turkey's secular and Kemalist people, who were used to being oppositionists and minorities, and who could make them smile on issues that upset them and reflect their pain, resentment and anger. A satirical movie that reflects the problems related to justice and society's mentality so well is something we rarely see on the screens, even in old Turkey. Now there is no one doing it. I am sure that Ferhan Sensoy and Rasim Oztekin are at peace in the tavern in the sky right now.

the film has a excellent story line, it shows the Turkish penal system with all its truths and it shows how every penal system can fail, realism with comedy (and a bit of drama & love) makes a great movie.

The Movie is about one guys life,Ibrahim, and what he goes through in what you would call unfortunate events.

His full with love for a girl in the neighbourhood but has a lot of hate for his brother in law.

The film is mostly funny but has a touch of drama.

It has a simple film to the film, the directing seems simple but it comes across as a great film,budget but great.

This is an impactful movie that I consider to be a cornerstone of modern Turkish cinema. It's title Pardon (Apologies) might as well be directed at the faceless millions who suffer(ed) under fascistic regimes whose human rights abuses will continue to be ignored for political and financial convenience.

On it's surface, Pardon is the story of three hapless mates but it's also the story of a continuous dark period in a quasi-democratic republic, marred with injustice brought on by self-appointed forces tirelessly working to protect the state from its citizens. As the story unfolds, we quickly discover that such protections are nowhere to be found when it's required to protect the citizens from the state, especially during intervals of uninterrupted accelerated authoritarianism.

This is such a bitter pill to swallow that it takes a master like Ferhan Sensoy to wrap it's bitter core up in his humorous candy, enabling us to digest the tragedy through comedy. Ancient Greek playwrights would be proud of his craftsmanship.

It's also a story of human perseverence and companionship which constantly forces its audience to invoke their sense of justice as our unwilling participants are dragged through the sham courts, having their spirits crushed blow after blow, bit by bit until they finally give up and accept their fate. The audience can't help but internalize the depressing feeling of the life being sucked out of these once spirited characters.

Ibrahim, our main protagonist serves as the primary means of conveying the collective humanity of the trio. Through a series of flashbacks We're given a background story covering his desires, hopes and plans for the future. While we're presented with many of his flaws, we also come to understand that he's fundamentally a well meaning person who is at times let down by his own detachment from reality.

His family, especially his father is typical working class with a strictly working class relationship with money and wealth which is also at the core of Ibrahim's problems since he can't seem to find the money to set up a small business of his own, which retards his growth as a person: He can't get married, he can't have a family and settle down so he chases unlikely sources of income such as gambling. It's thus additionally tragic that he has to be forced to grow up in prison, under such dire circumstances while life passes him by, leading to a downward spiral of despair.

Muzaffer and Aydin are seemingly two opposite characters who compliment Ibrahim's personality. Muzaffer is a cynical, somewhat selfish person but he's not devoid of empathy and he always seem to have a soft spot for his friends so while it might take some encouraging, he eventually comes through and does the right thing. Aydin is a naive, optimistic romantic who tries to see the silver lining in everything thus as a reward, the universe in its infinite wisdom punishes him the hardest. He's only involved in this clusterfrack because the police need a third suspect and his name is the one Ibrahim comes up with, he is tortured and convicted for simply having made a good impression.

He also serves as a reminder that if we ever feel inclined to distance ourselves from Ibrahim, as peculiar a character as he is, and mistakenly assume this only happens to people like him who don't have a high regard for authority, we should realize that there is no difference when the blind eye of the justice points at random people to hold accountable for a crime they didn't commit. If you're at the wrong place at the wrong time, it really doesn't matter if you're the right or the wrong person.

Ultimately, this is an amazing movie not just because of the quality of the writing, the acting and the addictively quotable dialogue, it's a movie which, through humor, helps society face the abuses of the so-called justice system and perhaps serve to comfort many open wounds of those who were scarred by it.

Mert Baykal's Pardon (2005) is one of Turkish cinema's sharpest and most unforgettable dark comedies, blending absurd humor with a deeply unsettling critique of systemic injustice. Based on a true story, the film follows Ibrahim (Ferhan Sensoy) and his two close friends, Muzo (Rasim Öztekin) and Aydin (Ali Çatalbas), as they become victims of a terrifying bureaucratic nightmare-wrongfully imprisoned due to an incompetent and indifferent legal system.

At its core, Pardon is a tragic satire of authority, exposing the terrifying ease with which ordinary people can be swallowed by an uncaring system. What begins as a series of misfortunes quickly spirals into absurdity, yet the humor never overshadows the film's more harrowing themes. Instead, the comedy heightens the horror of the situation-turning police interrogations, courtroom hearings, and prison experiences into surreal moments of Kafkaesque insanity.

Ferhan Sensoy delivers a brilliant performance as Ibrahim, a man whose only crime is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The way his initial disbelief turns into full-blown despair is both hilarious and heartbreaking. His companions, played by Rasim Öztekin and Ali Çatalbas, add to the absurdity, making their camaraderie one of the film's most enduring elements. Despite their suffering, their friendship and humor persist, reinforcing a uniquely Turkish approach to tragedy-laughing through the pain.

Visually, Pardon keeps things grounded, with a raw, almost documentary-like realism that makes the absurdity even more striking. The prison sequences, full of eccentric characters and bleak environments, feel suffocating yet strangely comedic. The script, penned by Sensoy himself, is razor-sharp, delivering biting satire while maintaining a tight grip on the film's emotional weight.

Beyond its humor, Pardon is a scathing indictment of unchecked authority, corruption, and the apathy of institutions. It resonates as a cautionary tale about the fragility of justice, where the lives of innocent people can be derailed in an instant. The film lingers long after the credits roll-not just because of its comedy, but because of the bitter truth it exposes.

Pardon is a 2005 Turkish comedy film, directed by Mert Baykal, based on the play by Ferhan Sensoy. It tells the tragicomic story of three friends who end up in prison when they are mistaken as members of a terrorist organization. The film is said to be based on a true event, which adds to the absurdity and irony of the situation.

The film has a lot of potential for humor and satire, as it exposes the flaws and corruption of the judicial system, as well as the absurdity and cruelty of the prison life. The film also has a lot of heart, as it shows the friendship and loyalty of the three protagonists, who stick together and support each other through their ordeal. The film also has a touch of romance, as one of the friends, Ibrahim, tries to win the love of his childhood sweetheart, Asuman, who is married to his abusive brother-in-law.

The film is carried by the excellent performances of the three leads, who are all well-known comedians in Turkey.

However, the film suffers from a poor direction by the director, who fails to make the most of the material. The film is poorly paced and edited, with some scenes dragging on too long and others being cut too short. The film is also poorly shot and scored, with a bland and dull visual style and a generic and annoying soundtrack.

Pardon is a film that deserves to be seen and appreciated by anyone who loves comedy and drama. D settles for cheap and easy laughs instead of deeper and darker ones. But it is also a film that could have been much better, if only it had a more competent and courageous director.