By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Starring: Deniz Celiloglu | Ece Bagci | Erdem Senocak | Merve Dizdar | Musab Ekici
Original language title: Kuru Otlar Üstüne
Year: 2024
Running time: 197
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13231544/reference/
Michael says: “I wavered between 4 and 4 1/2 cats for this 3 hour+ examination of misanthropy, truth, and isolation from master filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan, before leaning to the near perfect. Could be because I have a penchant for Ceylan’s breath-taking vistas and intellectual, dense dialog so I’m predisposed to love his films. Still, it’s surprising to me that with such an unlikable protagonist I ended up enjoying ABOUT DRY GRASSES as much as I did. 4 1/2 cats”
Michael adds: “A great discussion and a second viewing of this 197 minute movie by one of my top directors, Nuri Bilge Ceylan really crystalized for me how much I liked it. Turkish director Ceylan has remarkably structure a three hour plus film about a reprehensible man, and still made it thoroughly engrossing. Samet is arrogant, bitter, and misanthropic, but so narcissistic that he doesn’t see anything wrong with manipulating those around him through lies, deceits, and observations. The entirety of his hope for the future is invested in a single, teenaged girl in a class where he is a teacher at a tiny village in the remote, mountains of Turkey. The isolation of the furious winters merely served to fuel Samet’s bitterness and his longing to return to Istanbul. The question becomes, is Samet the way he is because of his isolation? Or would be miserable and manipulative wherever he is? My suspicion is the latter.
“There are multiple things goin on in ABOUT DRY GRASSES. Central to the story is Samet’s role as a teacher. Despite protestations, a colleague sets Samet up on a date with Nuray, a teacher from a neighboring village who lost a leg as a result of a suicide bombing. Samet isn’t all that interested, but on a subsequent date, he brings Kenan, his roommate and fellow teacher along. At work, Samet gives a gift to his young, attractive student, Sevin, and compliments her, playfully bantering with her. These scenes are uncomfortable, but Samet isn’t preying on the girl in a sexual manner, although the depths of his interest is borderline obsessive. In the background the political and cultural landscape of Turkey is explored, as is the different ideologies held by Samet and Nuray, in a lengthy, but fascinating sparring match between them over dinner.
“This is one of the hallmarks of Ceylan’s films. Often a film with a lengthy running time is filled with slow, meditative scenes, and while there are a couple of those in GRASSES, Ceylan’s films are packed with long, fascinating dialogs between characters. There is so much to unpack and explore in this film. In addition, there are several surprising cinematic devices used, one involving Samet’s artistic activity taking photographic portraits (an ironic talent from such a bitter, isolated man) and a surprising moment in the middle of his dinner with Nuray.
“Strong acting, gorgeous camera work, and incredible writing, all add up to making this one of my favorite films of the year. Don’t let the running time deter you. See ABOUT DRY GRASSES. Also a great companion piece to
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE.
5 cats“
Laks responds: “Thank you for suggesting we watch the film! The ending at the ruins though has a completely different narrative and context, it still somewhat reminded me of the ending in Wong Kar-Wai’s
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.”
