Nuri Bilge Ceylan has been a name on the international film circuit since 2002 with Distant - a "well-paced" character study - and has continued his success with Climates (2006) and now Three Monkeys (2008). Ceylan is putting Turkish film on the map through unorthodox shots and unconventional story telling techniques. Three Monkeys succeeds on many levels while being quietly devastating.
Aesthetically we are presented with images of civilization on the brink. The dark nature of the film’s content and meaning is echoed beautifully in the cinematography. The clouds thicken as the plot does. As Eyüp (Yavuz Bingol) throws a tantrum so does Zeus. The breadth of darkness that cinematographer Gokhan Tiryaki is able to achieve adds a noirish richness to the film.
The lingering shots place emphasis on the inner-workings of the characters. The deliberate pace could be mismanaged by lesser actors.
Ismail - convincingly acted by Rifat Sungar - is the son. Eyüp, the father, goes to jail to cover the crimes of his boss, small-time politician Servet (Ercan Kesal: co-writer of Three Monkeys). Eyüp is virtually absent from the first half of the film while serving a jail sentence but leaves a heavy depression through an impactful performance. Hacer (Hatice Aslan) is the mother who is a lonely yet empowered persona.
The entire cast worked through a minimalistic style with deliberate themes rooted deep in their character.
These characters are shown often shown with animalistic undertones: Ismail's eating habits and hygiene, Hacer's lounging, being surrounded by birds, the soundtrack, and so forth. . These people are all capable of anything and in a moment’s notice will revert to a survival state.
The animals that the title refers to are the three wise monkeys - see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil - from the Japanese parable. Today it is commonly used to describe someone who doesn't want to be involved in a situation, or someone turning a willful blind eye to the immorality of an act in which they are involved.
This goes back to the underlying political message of the film that the rich can often sidestep their legal responsibility. All three members of the family are guilty in covering a crime for the bourgeoisie politician. Ultimately the less fortunate and marginal will have it fall back on them.
Ceylan leaves potentially excessive and cliché scenes (i.e. sex, murder, etc.) to the viewer's imagination. What he chooses to show us is more impactful than blood, lust or other stimulate. It's the aftermath of an accident or the reaction to hearing something you shouldn't have. The silence between a father locked away by his duties and the son who is caged up in his own guilt can tell so much.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan has successfully created another emotive film. Three Monkeys has well choreographed pace, award worthy acting and a story that is deep in tone and text.