"Mustang" Review

Mustang follows five Turkish sisters longing to break free from the puritanical customs of their small village. Following an innocent afternoon at the beach with some boys from school, the girls are locked away and punished by their tyrannical uncle and grandmother. Their house steadily becomes a prison as bars are placed on the windows, the walls surrounding the house are raised, and telephone privileges are revoked. As the older sisters are married off, the younger girls plan a daring "prison break," hoping to flee to Istanbul and the promise of a new, happier life.

I couldn't find anything wrong with the movie save for one shot that didn't quite work for me. The poster above is a nice shot of the girls which represents the bond of sisterhood. In the film, this shot also signifies the last time that the girls are all together since two of them were just married off. There's a poignant scene of dialogue to be made from such a shot, but only one girl speaks one line out loud. The "scene" lasts all of 8 seconds. When the film cuts to the next scene, the juxtaposition feels out of place. Beyond that, Mustang is about as perfect a movie as I've seen in some time.

Director Deniz Gamze Erguven uses lots of close-ups to create tension between the girls themselves as well as their familial captors. Despite a lack of violence and "action" by Hollywood standards, the connections between the girls and their authority figures, and their ensuing escape attempts, feel as intense as anything in films like The Great Escape, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, or The Shawshank Redemption. 

The young actresses who play the sisters are all incredible. Despite no prior experience, their performances are all honest and believable. Through each of them, the film is able to explore every possible outcome for their lives - from the happiest to the saddest to just about every emotion in between.

This is why the film works so well, even in the Turkish language. With honest performances, a great script and some keen filmmaking, Mustang captures the essence of frustrated youth, which is something any person from around the world can relate to.

I can see deeper conversations and dissections taking place upon repeat viewings.

A