Leyla Everlasting
Ratings: 1.5/5
Duration: 152 Minutes
Language: Turkish
Genre: Comedy
Director: Ezel Akay
Writer: Adnan Yıldırım, Özlem Lale, Uğur Saatçi, Ezel Akay
Producer: Figen Ermek Özçorlu, Umut Özçorlu, Necati Akpınar
Music: Ender Akay, Cem Ergunoğlu, Ömer Taşkın, Tanju Eren
Cinematography: Hayk Kirakosyan
Editing: Ömer Özyılmazel
Released On: 04 December 2020
Star Cast: Demet Akbağ, Haluk Bilginer, Elçin Sangu, Fırat Tanış, Alican Yücesoy, Hakan Eke, Emre Kıvılcım, İhsan Ceylan, Hasan Eflatun Akay, Bertan Çelikkol, Kerime Obenik, Bimen Zartar, Reşit Berker Enhoş, Arda Cartı
Plot: Marriage is a solid commitment between two people which comes with a pre-condition that it must last forever. But not all marriages last forever. Similar is a story of Adem (Haluk Bilginer), a wealthy archaeologist, who is married to Leyla (Demet Akbag), a beautiful and devoted wife. They are in their 60’s and have had a good run so far. But now, Adem wants it out. Their marriage has become like a dead end. And so, they turn to an expert to help them out.
They consult Nergis (Elçin Sangu) a clueless and self-absorbed marriage therapist. "I don't like to think. It's not good for my brain," she complains. "I feel depressed when I think about anything but myself," she also admits. And sadly so, Nergis is also the mistress. The loss of excitement in their marriage leads Adam towards Nergis, who makes Adam fall into love, thus helping his heart to beat again.
Leyla refuses to grant Adem a divorce because she is committed to the idea of being a devoted wife, equal to him and wanting to share in their partnership. Hence, Adem is repulsed and becomes consumed by his wants and desires. He not only wants to divorce Leyla, but wants to keep all their money as well, and decides that arranging a fatal accident for Leyla would clear the way for marriage with the far younger therapist. He devises several inept, clumsy ways to kill her. And Nergis is on this too!
The accidents are more hysterical then serious. On one such occasion, Adam encourages Leyla to do yoga next to a log that emits toxic creosote vapours. (He’s the one who passes out from the fumes. Adem’s blackouts and fainting spells are a running gag throughout). After Leyla survives nine comic attempts on her life, it is easy to learn that she is an immortal.
When Leyla breaks down the “men be like this, women be like that” at the end of the movie, she is revealing her motives, an age-old secret of why women and men are different.
Will Leyla get killed? Will Adem ever be free? These are a few things the movie reveals eventually.
Review: For all those who don’t know, Leyla Everlasting is a Turkish movie. The overall story of the movie is quite usual. Husband in last 60s – attracted to a young girl – wants a divorce – wife refuses – and then what follows. It is the old-age story of wealthy men and their thirst to discard those that do not stimulate them. There are plenty of repeated jokes and supporting characters that flit in and out of the story to try and uphold the circus. But that is all Leyla Everlasting is — a circus.
What gives this movie its flavour is the fact that for some reason, the director decided to throw in as much madness as possible.
On the surface, Leyla Everlasting is a well-written and hilariously performed comedy about murder. But there are many twists and turn. So, stick with it to the final frames and you’ll be rewarded with loads of surprises, hidden identities, and a feminist manifesto for the ages.
The satirical, dark and weird comedy of Leyla Everlasting is reminiscent of films like I Love You To Death or A Fish Called Wanda. All these movies emit dark comedic energy and just when you thought things couldn’t get weirder or funnier, it surprises you with hilarious dialogue and running gags, and an effective ending.
However, one may feel that a movie like this doesn’t need one hour and fifty-two minutes to make a point which makes it long and unnecessarily painful. If this concept were designed for a 90-minute frame, the writers and director would have been able to make this work better.
The ending of the film is the big giveaway. What is Leyla’s secret, how does she manage to evade Adem’s attempts to kill her? The climax is a surprise wherein everything we see during the movie rationalizes. It depicts the ineptitude of all the men, their lust for power, for women, in a nutshell.
Overall, it is a one-time watch for sure!
