Masumiyet

Innocence is a different Turkish film as it does not rely much on a visual style which is found in other Turkish films which have made their mark on international film festival scene. In this film, director Zeki Demirkubuz has filmed the tragic lives of ordinary people who don't have much left in their midst to improve their situation. In cinema, it is often shown that a character X leaves a place Y in order to go to Z. It is Yusuf, a main protagonist who experiences something similar as he is not able to finish his journey. However, he does not feel disappointed as he gets to learn that he has been useful to some people in his life. Innocence starts with a very unusual request made by an innocent man who has been released from prison. It is from that moment that the film creates its impact by depicting how Yusuf's life would change when he is going to come across vulnerable characters from small Turkish towns where life seems to have stopped for good. Lastly, viewers get to learn that Zeki Demirkubuz takes his cinema seriously as his film is a nice tribute to richness of Turkish cinema which is welcomed by this film's different characters when they sit quietly to watch classics of Turkish cinema on television.

Probably one of the most depressing and strongest movie ever. But very enchanting scenario and poetic expression. That's where unrequited love would drift the man's life to rueful & how a man could have turned to be totally loser. Even for Haluk Bilginer's tirade-like dialog only , while sitting on the grass field at 42 min., it'd worth to watch. Theatrical acts, deeply heart-touching theme. Don't miss it. 9 of 10. After 6 years of this movie, director Zeki Demirkubuz, deeply impressed by Dostoyevski and Albert Camus' works, has directed a movie named Kader 'Fate' on 2006 which expresses the beginning of the story..I suggest you to watch both movie in a row..

An f word: Demirkubuz is maybe the only director in nowadays Turkey, who bothers himself with the everyday life, or life in general, of the so-called damned. This is one of the most obvious features of his filmography. Lives that are hidden behind the curtains, which go on when 'we', the 'ordinary' people sleep or work, or lives which we read about in the newspapers and blame (much more the case) or appreciate them. Lives that are not familiar with some words like big money, stocks, career, future plans, fame or how it is called in Turkey: pacayi siyirmak (similar to get off the hook). Those characters do not have or make plans for the next few months: they try to live the next day through, and as in Masumiyet, some decide to not to. There are always spontaneously opening doors in life, and it depends on you as the observer, or the reader-watcher of those "far away lives" to try to understand or to tell between seeing and looking. Masumiyet is a lecture for this, too.

The acting: Haluk Bilginer, one of the most famous and also well playing actors of Turkey really had better performances. Derya Alabora, quite well acting and let me no words to say. And, Guven Kirac. You can observe how a talented actor can act. He is that successful in acting in this movie that his playing builds up a big shadow over the whole scene going on through this film. He and the others mentioned are quite fine and professionally acting, which gives this film a taste of artificiality; something you might understand when you watch Kader (2006). The Story: both at the same time: minimalist and extraordinary. An important critic of TV in our everyday life is mixed in this descriptive narration. The directing: superb. Demirkubuz, might be regarded as a bridge between Dogma "philosophy" and Italian neo-realism. But certain scenes exist which interrupt the fluency of the film. When Yusuf (Guven Kirac) and the little girl (also referenced unnecessarily to Chaplin's The Kid in the film) arrive in Ankara and go to the place called KralDisco, there is a song in the background of the kurdish music group "Koma Amed". One can think that this music comes from inside of that place, but a sort of music which is totally unrelated to such places. This scene turns a trivia to a goof.

Finally: Demirkubuz managed to open an anti-heroic era in Turkish cinema, after the long lag of Yilmaz Guney (ceased in 1984). Lives of the outsiders defined without abstractions is one of his main routes. And, god thanks, he is doing this. This is a movie about people who have nothing else to offer except love and solidarity in the very bottom. About people living in a society where there is a sharp line between interests such as daily stocks figures or supply of daily bread.

You can see and feel life throughout the film with the help of players. All three have their choices for life, which they can fight for. And their choices bring them together in a strange world. Absolutely a wonderful story about pure feelings and life.

Demirkubuz seems like being aware of the place of gates in life. We all open and close many doors throughout our lives. 'Masumiyet' begins with an appearance of the manager's gate and we see Guven Kirac who offers a satisfactory performance. And 'Kader' is closed with a half-open door where Bekir grasps that 'this is his destiny'. It is impossible for Bekir to close the door opened by Ugur on the day at the carpet store.

The audience may capture many details based on 'gates'. Now I want to talk about the spectacular preaching of Ugur with which she takes our breath for a while. At the motel room, Ugur warns Yusuf about the destiny waiting for him. But as Bekir does, Yusuf ignores this warning because he is already taken over by love.

See this movie, then 'Kader' (or the reverse if you like a chronological telling).