When We Leave (2010)

77% of critics liked it
(30 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(1,143 ratings)

In awarding the film Best Narrative Feature Award, and Best Actress Award for Sibel Kekilli, the Tribeca Film Festival Narrative Jury said of the film: "WHEN WE LEAVE examines one woman's struggle for personal freedom. It is a riveting and heartbreaking story of a woman trapped in an abusive… More In awarding the film Best Narrative Feature Award, and Best Actress Award for Sibel Kekilli, the Tribeca Film Festival Narrative Jury said of the film: "WHEN WE LEAVE examines one woman's struggle for personal freedom. It is a riveting and heartbreaking story of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship, who must not only free herself from that marriage, but also the cultural prejudices and judgments that would keep her there. Feo Aladag built the nuances of her film over a six year period. She rehearsed her actors for seven months. She immersed herself in every detail of a culture that is revealed to us in remarkable detail. The result is a film that balances complex social issues with honest human yearnings. Through the brutality, WHEN WE LEAVE is also a story of tenderness, the struggle for compassion, the inexorable pull of family and the need to love and be loved." German-born Umay (Sibel Kekilli) flees her oppressive marriage in Istanbul, taking her young son Cem with her. She hopes to find a better life with her family in Berlin, but her unexpected arrival creates intense conflict. Her family is trapped in their conventions, torn between their love for her and the traditional values of their community. Ultimately they decide to return Cem to his father in Turkey. To keep her son, Umay is forced to move again. She finds the inner strength to build a new life for herself and Cem, but her need for her family's love drives her to a series of ill-fated attempts at reconciliation. What Umay doesn't realize is just how deep the wounds have gone and how dangerous her struggle for self-determination has become... -- (C) Olive Films

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 59 min.
Directed By: Feo Aladag
Written By: Feo Aladag
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 28, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Jun 7, 2011
Studio: Olive Films

Critic Reviews

Ty Burr, Boston Globe
A powerhouse melodrama that feels didactic and manipulative even as it rips your heart out.
James Adams, Globe and Mail
The whole sad enterprise is watchable because of Kekilli.
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
Unfortunately, Aladag was not as nuanced in her approach as her star.
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
There are some intense, moving sequences, but too much emotional badgering and a general shortage of finesse.
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post
Aside from its conclusion, "When We Leave'' is credible and well-observed.
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times
There are times when the tension lags badly and the story loses its way as Umay spins between her worlds. Still, it's a worthy start, and Aladag's distinctive voice helps the film survive any dismay.
Sarah Boslaugh, Playback:stl
...an old-fashioned melodrama with all the heightened emotions and focus on the struggles of an almost saintly heroine that you would expect from a work in that genre.
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"When We Leave" has a predetermined arc that almost chokes its life, but for frustrated witnesses to this passion play, Kekilli offers redemption.
Jeffrey Gantz, Boston Phoenix
What elevates When We Leave is the three-dimensional acting and the larger context.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
It's grueling, but Kekilli is fantastic.
David Nusair, About.com
...a routine, interminably paced drama...
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
The personal and the political are represented here. When We Leave is distinguished by strong performances, especially from Kekilli.
Norman Wilner, NOW Toronto
Anyone can make a movie about a woman suffering under the restrictions of a fundamentalist mentality; the trick is making one that doesn't fall back on stereotypes and simplistic finger-wagging.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
It's so melodramatic, with such crudely drawn, oversimplified characters and hackneyed situations, that it drains its own pond.
Kimberly Gadette, Indie Movies Online
Script problems aside, the fact that newcomer Feo Aladag has created such a strong-hearted drama, getting our attention and making us care, opening our eyes to such a senseless crime, is no small feat.
Marcy Dermansky, About.com
Until the final scene, Feo Aladag's When We Leave is an effective melodrama.
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine
The clunky denouement reveals that When We Leave is far less than its socio-political relevance would suggest.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
An intense and soul-stirring German film about misogyny, tradition, reconciliation, and one Turkish woman's quest for independence.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Walter M

In "When We Leave," Umay(Sibel Kekilli) suffers another beating from her husband Kemal(Ufuk Bayraktar) after she was caught lying about where she spent the day. In fact, she had gotten an abortion, the first step in leaving her husband, with their son Cem(Nizam Schiller),… More
In "When We Leave," Umay(Sibel Kekilli) suffers another beating from her husband Kemal(Ufuk Bayraktar) after she was caught lying about where she spent the day. In fact, she had gotten an abortion, the first step in leaving her husband, with their son Cem(Nizam Schiller), to return to her native Germany, away from Turkey where she always felt isolated and alone. At home, her younger sister Rana(Almila Bagriacik) is getting ready for her wedding while their parents(Derya Alabora & Settar Tanriogen) are curious how long she will be staying. Yeah, about that...Umay's plan is to stay permanently, planning on working and studying, and burning her passport to make her point. In which case, a plan is made to return Cem to his father... "When We Leave" is for the most part a compelling drama on the difficult subject of honor killing, exploring it with much needed complexity, especially the hypocrisies involved. For a lot of the movie, this is accomplished through very good performances and subtlety. But the movie self-destructs with a horrible ending(maybe not for the reasons you are thinking) and a scene where the movie grandstands to horrifying effect. As an unintended side effect, Umay, who for the most part comes off as sympathetic, starts to seem a little self-centered, not realizing that her actions have repercussions for others, especially her family.