Sobre la hierba seca

It's a character drama about truth and lies in modern times in rural Eastern Turkey during a harsh winter. It follows various teachers who are required to work in a remote area before transferring to more desirable urban locations. Samet (Deniz Celiloglu) is a fourth-year art teacher in primary school who can't wait to transfer out. His friend, Kenan (Musab Ekici), is his housemate and a fellow teacher. Samet seems to be popular with his students, especially Sevim (Ece Bagci), an attractive grade-eight student to whom he has given presents. Initially, we learn of the rigidity and bureaucratic nature of the educational system through Samet's interactions with his superintendent, Bekir (Onur Berk Arslanoglu) and the Director of Education (Yildirim Gucuk).

One day, the school administration confiscates a love letter that Sevim has written, and Samet comes into possession of it, though he claims to Sevim that he has destroyed it. Her distrustful reaction creates difficulties both for Samet and Kenan.

A distraction for Samet and Kenan is Nuray (Merve Disdar), a female teacher at a nearby school who lost a leg in a terrorist bombing some years before. Samet and Kenan are interested in Nuray, though both are devious in their procedures. Throughout, there are lengthy conversations about how to make the most impact on the world, with the apparent options being risking action or sitting back and observing with a cynical eye.

The Roger Ebert reviewer called "About Dry Grasses" "steadily paced, richly intellectual, and absorbingly acted." I found it pretentious, at least an hour too long at three hours and twenty minutes, and trapped in too many plot ambitions. Celiloglu, Bagci, and Disdar perform very well, though one conversation between Samet and Nuray is interminable. I suspect the subtitle translation is not the best; some Turkish speakers in the audience, when I watched, heard humorous references not reflected in the subtitles.

While we were patiently and curiously waiting for Merve Dizdar's award-winning performance throughout the movie, it was disappointing to encounter the parallel universe version of Gülben's character in Masumlar Apartment, or even less. I think many viewers will agree that Ece Bagci did a more impressive and convincing job in terms of art with her performance as Sevim. I guess we can say that political decisions have once again overshadowed creativity and art.

Apart from that, when I think about Nuri Bilge Ceylan's filmography, it was a movie where I saw humorous elements that made me smile for the first time after the melon scene placed next to the corpse in the trunk in Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. But unlike Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, the dialogues of the characters felt like they were actually the director's monologue. I had the same feeling, especially in Winter Sleep and Pear Tree. The film stands out among the director's recent films in terms of flow, humor and abundance of dialogue.

While I'm not accustomed to writing reviews, I feel compelled to share my thoughts on this film. The experience leaves me with mixed emotions. Visually, it's undeniably stunning, but the narrative's prolonged nature leaves a somewhat unpleasant aftertaste. With a runtime of 3 hours, the first two are rather tedious, contrasting sharply with the spectacular final hour. This is perhaps the most disappointing thing about the movie because it's well seen that this has potential. The final hour stands out as one of the best cinematic experiences I've had, but it's the initial two hours that fail to captivate. The slow pace, extended duration, and occasional loss of coherence contribute to my reservations.

Regarding the characters, the protagonist is remarkably selfish, self-centered, and outright unpleasant to others. While I appreciate the appeal of characters challenging viewers' perspectives, personally, I struggle to enjoy a narrative with such a malevolent main character. This character type represents the one I find most detestable.

In terms of character impact, none, except for the woman, left a significant impression on me. She undeniably stands out as the most intriguing character in the entire movie. The final scene, where she confronts her friend, emerges as one of the most impactful moments in the film.

Despite being a polarizing film that either garners love or disdain, I encourage individuals to give it a chance. Maybe not solely for the characters or the storyline, but there's a potential for valuable lessons to be gleaned from this cinematic endeavor.

Probably Nuri Bilge Ceylan's movie with the most dialog. If you don't mind spending three and a half hours sitting, you will watch it with interest. The acting is incredibly successful. Deniz Cellioglu's acting as Samet is incredible. Merve Dizdar had already proven her success by winning the best actress award at the Cannes film festival for her acting in this movie. Centering on a handful of teachers in a snow-covered village in Anatolia, we watch an extraordinary story with a great script. Although the prolonged dialogues sometimes slow down the pace, I think you will enjoy the film in general. Especially the naturalness of the small actors in the student roles is magnificent. During Nuray and Samet's long conversation at the dinner table, there are inconsistencies in terms of continuity in the positions of the actors at different camera angles. Ceylan is already a master photographer. He reflected this mastery in his movie. I found his use of the camera very successful, especially in tight spaces. Some of the sentences interspersed between the dialogues still impress me. It will be very surprising if this movie is not among the best foreign film nominees for the Oscars. It was one of the two movies I saw this year that I can say I liked very much. I hope the majority feel the same way.

While watching the movie "About Dry Grasses," I didn't realize how quickly the 3 hours and 17 minutes passed. Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films seem to peel off humans layer by layer. They present the weakest, darkest aspects of humanity to the audience. While watching the movie and after it, you find yourself in a confrontation with yourself. The situation is the same in this film. The lead actors, Deniz Celiloglu (Samet), Merve Dizdar (Nuray), and Musab Ekici (Kenan) deliver a wonderful performance. Indeed, Merve Dizdar won the award for best actress at Cannes for this film.

The film revolves around a teacher, Samet, whose career is endangered by a sexual abuse accusation from his student, Sevim. Samet, portrayed by Deniz Celiloglu, is a complex character who is bored with his life and longs for a posting to Istanbul. His interactions with his fellow teacher Kenan and a woman named Nuray play a significant role in exploring themes of friendship, competition, and disillusionment. The characters are depicted with a high degree of complexity, adding depth to the overall narrative and theme of the film. The long duration of the film allows for an in-depth exploration of the characters, making it a reflective journey among the complexities of human relationships and moral dilemmas.

"About Dry Grasses" is a thought-provoking and absorbing drama that delves into the depths of the human soul, exploring the moral complexities and multifaceted nature of human relationships. Nuri Bilge Ceylan's distinctive directing style and the impressive performances of the cast create a cinematic masterpiece that is enlightening both visually and intellectually. The comprehensive and detailed narration of the film, combined with its literary quality, makes it a must-watch for lovers of auteur cinema.