DISTANT (2002)

A.K.A.: Uzak

Country: Turkey

Genre(s): Drama

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Cast: Muzaffer Ozdemir / Emin Toprak / Zuhal Gencer

Plot

Reclusive photographer Mahmut takes in his cousin Yusuf, who has arrived in Istanbul in search of work after a factory shut down.  When Yusuf’s job search falls short, the lifestyles of the two roommates clash.

What I Liked

Not exactly a thriller, “Distant” relies on its two main characters to generate interest through allegory.  Mahmut is a man who has cut himself off from all emotional attachments to the world outside of his own apartment, which he has lived in alone for some time.  Though he willingly takes in Yusuf out of either a sense of obligation or to feel better about himself, he quickly perceives Yusuf as an invader, the encroachment of society and humanity into the fortress of solitude he has built for himself.  Mahmut has a stronger relationship with his photographs, television, pornography, and books than he does with his own mother, roommate, or estranged wife.  The possibility of an emotional connection with Yusuf threatens Mahmut’s precious self-imposed isolation.  Mahmut seems to want to break out of that prison, both with Yusuf and his wife Zuhal, but at every opportunity he instead pushes them further away.  That struggle to establish intimacy with others while fearing the risks is something to which I’m sure plenty of people can relate.  In the end, as Mahmut sits alone on a park bench with a blend of puzzlement and regret on his face, I saw Michael Corleone in a similar, contemplative loneliness at the end of “The Godfather, Part II.”  “Distant” doesn’t begin to approach that classic for emotionality, intrigue, or quality, but it nonetheless expresses a universal truth in an admirably understated approach.

Important to the films overall mood is the isolation experienced by both men in Istanbul.  The apartment buildings, streets, and commercial areas are all claustrophobic with people.  Everyone seems to know everyone, whether it be in the public park or in the shipyards.  Yet both Mahmut and Yusuf experience their own discouraging isolation amidst all of this crowdedness, one self-imposed the other not.  Yusuf’s lonely search for work and love in Istanbul is heartbreaking.

The actors in the two lead roles were not professionals, they were people from the director’s own private life, a friend and a cousin.  I never would have known this had I not done a little reading on the film.  Both do fine jobs and are entirely believable, making the viewer feel as though we are hidden voyeurs into the private lives of actual people, rather than an audience taking in fiction.

What I Didn’t Like

To open my review by saying that “Distant” is not a thriller was beyond understatement.  Outside of a mouse being beaten to death against a brick wall (something of a climax for the resentment between the roomates), nothing resembling action is present in this movie.  It is all economical conversations, quiet contemplation, and more quiet despair.  We aren’t even given a soundtrack to listen to, which in this case heightens the realism of the drama, but certainly doesn’t help the lack of entertainment value.

Most Memorable Scene

As the story progresses and we learn more about Mahmut’s reclusive character, the opening scene is made more powerful through reflection.  We see Mahmut sitting in the dark in the foreground, while in the background is a blurry female figure.  Though she is only on the other side of the room, she is shot out of focus and seems miles away.  We can tell by the colors and movement she is stripping out of her clothing.  Mahmut, after taking off his shoes and briefly looking at her emotionlessly, walks over to her, sits next to her and almost mechanically shoves his hands between her legs.  End of scene.  The out of focus, seemingly distant person.  The lack of emotion on Mahmut’s face.  His abrupt, decidedly un-erotic gesture.  All symbolic of the man’s inability to connect with others, even in this most intimate of scenarios.

My Rating: 3 out of 5