Uzak (Distant) (2002)

88% of critics liked it
(43 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(5,069 ratings)

Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan writes and directs the taciturn drama Uzak (Distant). Following a major economic crisis, the young dreamer Yusuf (Mehmet Emin Toprak) leaves his small village in search of employment on a ship. He arrives in Istanbul to stay with his relative Mahmut (Muzaffer… More Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan writes and directs the taciturn drama Uzak (Distant). Following a major economic crisis, the young dreamer Yusuf (Mehmet Emin Toprak) leaves his small village in search of employment on a ship. He arrives in Istanbul to stay with his relative Mahmut (Muzaffer Özdemir). Living alone and working as a photographer, Mahmut's ordered life is disrupted by the presence of Yusuf. He is also disturbed when he learns that his ex-wife, Nazan (Zuhal Gencer Erkaya), is moving to Canada with her new husband. Mahmut cannot speak with his mother (Fatma Ceylan), Yusuf cannot talk to a girl he likes (Ebru Ceylan), and the two men barely communicate with each other. Uzak won the Grand Jury Prize while both leads won Best Actor at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Written By: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Mar 12, 2004 Limited
On DVD: Mar 22, 2005
Studio: New Yorker

Critic Reviews

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
A beautifully made, unapologetically artistic piece of work.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Ultimately, it becomes a movie about the feeling of being alive, the sensation of existence. It's a movie, in a way, about everything.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Straightforward, droll, brutally honest and arresting, if somewhat stately in progress.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
There is no simple sense of uplift in Distant. But there is an exhilaration to revealing the human condition, and Ceylan is ever on the lookout.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
This is a movie that dares to ask a powerful question: What does it mean to be really alone? How does it look?
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
The film possesses a view of the human condition nearly as stark and clear-eyed as its stunning cinematography, which paints Istanbul's domes and minarets and rural Anatolia's breathtaking landscapes with a cold, haunting beauty.
Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
The tale has a deceptive, emotional complexity that builds to a surprisingly heartrending impact.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
He'd love to mimic Antonioni and Ozu, but Ceylan still has much to learn about crafting quiet scenes
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Fans of Ceylan's film will appreciate the worthwhile features New Yorker Video has included on this DVD edition.
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times
Deeply compassionate and frequently amusing, qualifying as a minor miracle of humanely observant filmmaking.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A startlingly quiet film that is buoyed by a droll humor, splendid visuals and bittersweet reflections into the human condition.
Anton Bitel, Movie Gazette
This film about alienation, isolation and boredom in an Istanbul winter may leave some viewers feeling cold.
, E! Online
It's bleak, yes, but it's beautiful in equal measure.
Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
The film's extraordinary shifts from windswept sorrow ... to deadpan comedy ... are uniquely, triumphantly their maker's own.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
For arthouse fans this should be a must - filled as it is with lingering shots, awkward silences and the growing weight of knowing that no character will end up smiling.
James Christopher, Times [UK]
Stuffed with unspoken thoughts and unspeakable feelings
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Films that insist on long periods of nothingness need to earn those periods.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
The cumulative force of so many quiet, unforced little moments add up, and it wasn't until a good hour after I'd seen the film that it really took hold of me.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Pierluigi P

I guess I rather watch slices of cake than slices of life. Hitchcock was always right. Why is that some filmmakers think they are giving us profound, meaningful messages through flat out nothingness?
Anthony L

Melancholic yes and the story will not be to everyone?s taste but Uzak is a visual treat, it is the most beautifully shot film I have ever seen!
Lesley N

A film about isolation. Not much happens and not much is said, but it's still an absorbing watch.
Daniel P

This film really frustrated me. <I>Uzak</I> is well acted and undeniably beautifully photographed, and has some very cleverly thought out shots and framing techniques. But I was left with a "is that it?" feeling, and found the metaphors both unsubtle and repeated… More
This film really frustrated me. <I>Uzak</I> is well acted and undeniably beautifully photographed, and has some very cleverly thought out shots and framing techniques. But I was left with a "is that it?" feeling, and found the metaphors both unsubtle and repeated to the nth degree. I was expecting better.
Daisy M

Turkish movie Uzak (Distant) was a very slow and simple story about two relatives, a young man Yusuf that came from a village and arrived in Istanbul to stay with his older cousin Mahmut.Yusuf was looking for work in the big city, but after some weeks trying, he was still without any… More
Turkish movie Uzak (Distant) was a very slow and simple story about two relatives, a young man Yusuf that came from a village and arrived in Istanbul to stay with his older cousin Mahmut.Yusuf was looking for work in the big city, but after some weeks trying, he was still without any success. And the burden of having Yusuf living with Mahmut was too much he could endure.The performances of these two man were excellent and it was a pleasure to see them interact.Visually everything was said, and there was not much dialog, the less they used was to bring their disagreement, and anger between them. This was sure an outstanding piece of work, for the two main actors and the director, Nuri Ceylan. Some might say that the pace was too slow, but I guessed the director wanted to show how time pass slowly especially for those who are alone.