Bir Tanem

Turkish cinema has been filled with repetitive clichés and conventional productions since its inception. However, occasionally, we come across intriguing and unique films like this one.

In the film, Faruk, an architect, constantly finds himself in failed relationships, leading to his descent into depression. The recent breakup with his girlfriend has further devastated him, rendering him unable to complete an important work project due to his sorrow. Seeking a solution to this predicament, his business partner comes up with a peculiar idea: to send 19-year-old Zeynep to distract Faruk. However, Faruk wants to avoid experiencing the same cycle again, where he becomes attached to someone and falls into depression upon separation. Therefore, he requests Zeynep to pretend to be mentally-disturbed to prevent any emotional attachment. By offering a substantial amount of money to Zeynep's stepbrother, he hires a woman to play the role of Zeynep's mother and sends them as tenants to Faruk's house. However, what starts as a game soon transcends into something more, as Zeynep and Faruk begin to develop genuine feelings for each other.

I acknowledge that this is an odd film, but its originality cannot be disregarded. In fact, considering the era in which it was made, I believe it is a remarkable film. It surpasses the artificial dialogues and performances typical of that time and emerges as a highly successful production. The pacing of the film is also quite good, as it kept me engaged without getting bored. However, if I were to evaluate the film based on the year 2023, this movie, made 50 years ago, naturally feels outdated and lacks much appeal. Nonetheless, I still recommend it to those who are interested in watching old Turkish films.