Our take
An absolutely beautiful film about superficiality, arrogance, and heartbreak. It focuses on the life of Aydin, a retired actor who now lives very comfortably managing a small hotel and a number of other small properties. Throughout the film Aydin’s image shifts as he tackles the problems of his rather typical life. Having said this, there is nothing else typical about this film. It captures human relationships with an almost frightening precision. It almost feels as though you have an inside view into someone’s actual life as Aydin battles it out with his sister Necla and his young wife Nihal. To me this is easily one of the best dramas of the decade, and if you so much as like movies that focus on humans and their interactions, it will be that for you too. Nuri Bilge Ceylan will make 3 hours pass more quickly than they ever have before.
Streaming arrival
What it won
Other
1 nom
The story
Aydın is a hotel owner and a retired actor in rural Turkey. As winter emerges he begins navigating the conflicts within the relationships with his wife, sister and existence.
Elsewhere
"Rich, beautiful, indulgent, frustrating."
— Sophie Monks Kaufman
"Winter Sleep is without doubt a formidably achieved, intellectually substantial drama that deals variously with questions of conscience, responsibility and self-deception."
— Jonathan Romney
The details
Nuanced, delicate movie about the intricacies of releationships. Very “european-like” slice-of-life drama, is slow, quiet and anticlimatic in a good way.
I recommend watching it with someone and then discussussing what you think about the characters’ decisions and actions, you will discover and understand a lot about one another.