Bilmemek

Yes human kind is the worst species in the world.

Umut is successful young man who is bullied (for being gay) by his classmates, name calling, emotional and mental abuse that leads casting him out of the water polo team (we dont know and movie doesnt really reveal his identity) he tries to resist as he can but... Yet movie finished and we dont know whereabouts of him. We dont know whether hes is alive or not. And of course media labeling him as a Gay even though nobody really knows if he is/was a gay or not.

I found this movie intriguing although the first half moved slowly. The storyline took a turn I didn't see coming, and actually addressed a major problem that plagues not only the LGBT community, it's also a general issue that is rarely focused on in film. I thought the acting was solid, and the ending well thought out. Makes you think......

The question the swimming coach should have asked the leader of the bullies who want Umut banned from showering and undressing with them is "Isn't the problem really that you yourself can't cope with the feelings the sight of his naked body arouse in you? Isn't that why you want him out of your sight?" As to the other team members who side with the leader, they are just scared of being accused of being gay themselves if they don't go along with wanting the ban. Being gay is still that difficult to accept.... This said, I'm not sure Umut's total silence is justified by the plot - at least, even, where his mother is concerned. But apart from that it's a well-made film, it's Turkish setting is a refreshing change, and Umut is beautiful.

Even though the main theme was gay bullying, the emphasis on refugees in the background was not good and some of the acting was mediocre. Aside from everything else, such topics are especially important for our country's film industry.

Powerful (and cathartic) movie on the classic topic of bullying.

It's also an audacious critique of social norms and hypocrisy in contemporary Turkish society. Not much happens with the plot but what matters is the rendition of an atmosphere of suffocation. The film is also very brave for its treatment of sexual minorities in a homophobic country. We need more parents to watch movies like Not Knowing. They have the best intentions but add too much pressure when support and empathy are urgently needed.

The movie reminded me of The Swimmer (Adam Kalderon, 2021) for the omnipresence of the swimming pool and the brutal dynamics between the athletes.