Film Movement, which operates a "must-subscribe" Film of the Month Club, continues its exceptional job making notable international flicks available to American audiences in releasing the 2103 Turkish romcom "Love Me" on DVD. This film making that genre enjoyable to the large portion of the movie-going public that despises the Katherine Heigl and Julia Roberts films of that nature states a great deal about the film. One spoiler is that the soundtrack lacks any pop music standards.
"Love" further passes the same test as virtually all of the roughly 50 Movement films that are subjects of Unreal TV reviews; it could be filmed almost word-for-word and scene-for-scene in the United States and still make great sense.
Our unlikely pair whose chance encounter leads to a romantic adventure are attractive Kiev resident Sasha, who is having an unhappy birthday for reasons that include being stood up by the married man she is dating, and adorkable Turk Cemal. The back story of the engaged Cemal is that his debauchery-loving cousin and uncle drag him to Kiev for a decadent bachelor party ahead of a convenient but not-so-perfect marriage.
Sasha sashaying into the nightclub where the reluctant Cemal is experiencing intense embarrassment quickly leads to the pair heading to the apartment of the former for adult-oriented fun. Seeing an overwhelmed and nervous Cemal wander the apartment wrapped in a towel is hilarious.
An interruptus before coitus even commences leads to a frantic late-night search for the missing grandmother of Sasha. Like said developments in inferior American romcoms, this results in our pair bonding.
Another romcom stereotype appears in the form of intrusions from the outside world threatening the new relationship. The better news is that the filmmakers present and resolve this development far better than their American counterparts.
The charm of "Love" extends well beyond the appeal of the leads and the variations on the cliches that make any American film featuring an independent single woman and her gay friend unwatchable,. We get a look at the very '50s American style attitude toward women that apparently still is pervasive in Turkish culture. The basic idea is that the bad girls are there to play with and the good ones are there to marry.
The audience is further treated to fascinating footage of Kiev; it looks gorgeous and seems to have a subway system that puts the American counterparts to shame.
The fillmmakers additionally save the more powerful moments for the final 30 minutes of the film; the action crosses the line from regular drama to the "melo" variety without sacrificing quality. You will be bonded with Sasha and Cemal by then, will root for those two crazy kids to make their relationship work, and will feel their pain (and joy?).
The Bonus Short Film that every Movement DVD release includes is an Argentinian drama this time. The titular "The Queen" is a slightly older (and infinitely more sophisticated) Honey Boo Boo whose stage mother coerces into the pageant life. This powerful documentary-style fictional film shows the extent to which such parents go to and the emotional and physical toll of that on the child.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding either film is welcome to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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