Director of Istanbul Movie Competition’s first function movie, “Oregon” appears to be a visit down reminiscence lane, not simply because it takes place on a summer time day in 1985, however as a result of it evokes a nostalgia for the favored comedies of the 60s and 70s that had been fairly prevalent in each the Turkish and the Greek film trade.
The story begins with a few former filmmaker college students, Hakan and Gaye, who at the moment are working a memento store in Bodrum, vacationing in Istanbul. Throughout their final day, they’ve to depart a mixture cassette in one in every of their pals from college, Selen, however the truth that she has left for Cappadocia and the overzealous caretaker of the constructing, Durmus, lead to a sequence of unlucky occasions that find yourself with them within the police precinct. Whereas there, they come upon a really pleasant prostitute, who appears to have a reference to the director of the precinct, Sevket, who’s having a really unhealthy day as he’s anticipating to listen to from his physician if he has lung most cancers. His psychological state doesn’t assist the couple in any respect, with him contemplating the likelihood they’re terrorists, in one other sequence of occasions that finally ends up with them asking assist from a few of their previous pals from the movie college. Once more although, the state of affairs turns into extra sophisticated than they anticipated.
Unfolding someplace between the situational comedy and the stage play, “Oregon” is a somewhat humorous movie that pulls a lot from its writing, which, aside from being humorous, additionally makes some sociopolitical feedback, which demand from the viewers, although, to look fairly deeper contained in the film to essentially “see” them. As such, within the interval simply after the junta in Turkey, police nonetheless appears to have a somewhat dominant position in society, however nonetheless concern insurgencies from the left. The way in which Sevket smacks immigrants and petty criminals within the precinct, and the way in which he treats Hakan and Gaye, who’re perceived by the conservative a part of Istanbul as hippies and potential terrorists, highlights the remark fairly eloquently. Small scenes right here and there, as with the retired officer who offers with senility, Durmus’s life story and ambition, and the way in which the answer is given by a famous person, basically past the legislation, spotlight this method in delicate (perhaps except the final scene), however in the long run, eloquent style. Lastly, Ayan appears to make a remark about how the film trade works, in one other side painted in somewhat darkish colours.
The situational comedy, nonetheless, is the primary factor of the movie, benefitting essentially the most by each the writing of the episodes and the characters, with Umit Unal’s script being top-of-the-line features of the film. Hakan and Gaye present the middle the story revolves round, and are fairly interesting to observe, particularly in the way in which the battle and make up, however the ones who stand out are literally others. Sevket specifically steals the present each one of many many occasions he seems on display, together with his frustration for each his medical state of affairs and the instances he has to cope with within the station being top-of-the-line traits of the film. Ferit Aktug within the position is a deal with to observe all through the film, in most likely the very best a part of the entire thing.
The second fairly interesting efficiency comes from Onur Gürcay as Durmus, whose common angle, of taking his job too critically and the way in which he despises the “hippies” in a approach that results in a conflict being as humorous as it’s significant. The second he breaks is one other of the film’s zeniths. Lastly, Melisa Dogu as the type prostitute can also be fairly humorous and interesting general, including a way of each drama and comedy in a approach that reminds of many related characters showing within the films of the 60s and 70s.
On the identical time, although, and though the person parts of the film are on a fairly excessive stage, the entire abundance of characters and conditions does grow to be a bit an excessive amount of after a degree, additionally as a result of it’s onerous to empathize with so many, and be affected by so many episodes. Once more, this was the type of the films of the previous, however on this period, the place realism and “true tales” appear to be king, this method appears considerably preterit, with the film ending up being considerably tiring after a degree.
Barış Aygen captures the varied settings (levels one may say contemplating the theater-like method of the film) with gusto, with none explicit exaltations, principally permitting the occasions and the solid to shine. Hubert Hayaud’s modifying ends in a somewhat quick tempo that fits the general aesthetics properly, with the cuts often changing into a part of the humor.
Significantly for the viewer who won’t discern the sociopolitical feedback, “Oregon” might be a type of films that you simply watch, have an excellent time, after which simply neglect, although the star solid does work in opposition to this. Ayan, although, is aware of tips on how to inform his tales in each a delicate and an evident stage, with the film being a somewhat hopeful debut, notably I really feel, if his subsequent tasks flip extra straight in direction of the political.
