Review of Climates (2006) by William B — 31 May 2008
The jinx of the 'second' - the novel or film which follows the debut. After his exquisite 'Uzak' (Distant) - which won at Cannes back in the day - Nuri Ceylan could only go down. And he did.
In this film, mostly a family affair with his wife as the co-lead and the director playing the main protagonist, Ceylan tantalizes with promise only to vaguely disappoint. Though Ebru Ceylan is a beautiful woman, her acting skills do not match.
The film is lovingly shot, with Ceylan's photographic eye switching perspective from intense, stylized close-ups of people's faces and fingers to panoramic, painterly landscapes. Turkey looks haunting, bathed in snow and lit with an interior beauty.
The story borrows a bit from Pamuk's "Snow", but diverges so far as to be a slow meditation on the decline of romance. In style it reminded me of Godard's 'Contempt' - also a tracking of the collapse of man-woman relations.
But this is worth watching for the beauty of the images, if not for the strength of the plotting or acting.
This review of Climates (2006) was written by William B on 31 May 2008.
Climates has generally received positive reviews.
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