I need to know where Gokce got her outfits, though…
What it's about
Intrigued at an unpublished manuscript from her husband’s publishing firm, wealthy yet dissatisfied Gokce discovers that one of the book’s locations is real, prompting her to continue reading the novel, and jumping into an intoxicating, and possibly dangerous, affair.
The take
When life imitates art unexpectedly, it can be thrilling, exciting, and maybe even dangerous. As dissatisfied wife Gokce finds an unpublished novel, we hoped that her eventual escapades would be similarly riveting, but sadly, Ashes isn’t thrilling. Part of it is because the first half is just dedicated to pretty images that don’t even feel particularly steamy, but mostly this stems from the fact that Ashes hasn’t formulated a coherent plotline for the manuscript Gokce was reading, so all the twists and turns in the second half feels more randomly tossed, than carefully set up as a surprise.
What stands out
The shots of Ashes are stunning, but these images might have been more powerful if they were made for an emotionally and logically coherent script. Honestly, it feels like they were just trying to compile as many beautiful scenes as they can for someone’s videography portfolio.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Head-On (Gegen die Wand) (2004)
This raw, punk drama about a star-crossed love in modern Germany is as timely now as it was when it came out
9.3
Welcome (2009)
7.1
La Chimera (2023)
A dreamy, bewitching film that ponders on ideas of lostness and longing
8.0
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.
8.1
Lilting (2014)
A thoughtful, heartbreaking debut feature where shared grief bridges two different people
7.2
The Guilty (2018)
A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.
9.0
Forgotten Love (2023)
The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama
7.7
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.
9.0
Drowning by Numbers (1988)
Peter Greenaway plays with structure and numbers in this surreal, quirky crime comedy
7.9
Breaking the Waves (1996)
Lars von Trier breaks his rules in the tearjerking first film of the Golden Heart trilogy