During the summer months the movie theaters are clogged with blockbusters that throw every special effect at your eyes in 3-D. There’s a shock when you see a movie that isn’t about mutant superheroes or gross out comedy moments. When We Leave is a small foreign film about an explosive situation that doesn’t involve saving the Earth but instead follows a woman regaining her world.
Umay (Sibel Kikilli) is a wife in Turkey that has had it with her abusive husband. What makes the relationship even more disturbing is that they live in a cramped apartment with his family. They don’t seem to care when he gets rough with her and she can’t stand it anymore. Digging up her life’s savings, she grabs her son and jets off to Germany to be with her family who lives in a slightly larger apartment.
They’re delighted to see her and the son, but confused about the husband’s whereabouts. Her father isn’t happy when word gets out that she’s left her man. Instead of finding comfort, Umay is outed. Her dad calls back to Turkey. She’s forced to go to an extreme to escape her husband and family. But her husband and other male relatives won’t leave her alone. They want her back where she belongs.
Sibel Kikilli is now familiar to some American viewers after recently playing Shae on HBO’s Game of Thrones. She plays the role with the right tone. Her fortitude against an uncaring wall of relatives and in-laws keeps this film from being a foreign language Lifetime original movie. When We Leave gives a tight focus on a culture where obedience to your husband is never questioned. Although it should be noted that Turkish culture is not the only one with this attitude. When We Leave doesn’t sugar coat the action with too many self-empowering montages. This is not a feel good summer film that can easily be remade with Jennifer Lopez in the lead.
The video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The transfer looks good even with the dark spaces inside the various apartments. The audio is stereo. The levels are fine. A majority of the dialogue is Turkish and German. The subtitles are English.
There are no bonus features.
When We Leave is a sharp melodrama about a woman who can’t find safety when she leaves her country. Her father can’t deal with the stigma of a daughter that left her husband even if it has a good reason.
Olive Films presents When We Leave. Written and Directed by: Feo Aladag. Starring: Sibel Kekilli, Nizam Schiller and Derya Alabora. Running time: 115 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Released on DVD: N/A. Available at Amazon.com.
