“Leave It to the Wind”: A Turkish Rom-Com Escape to the Aegean Coast
Aslı (Hande Erçel) is the quintessential urban career woman: sharp suits, sleeked-back hair, a business-like gaze, a relationship “for health,” and relaxation at the bar. This businesswoman heads to a resort to persuade a company partner – the boss’s son and a childhood friend – to relinquish a prime piece of land for hotel construction. Time is of the essence: the deal must save the company from bankruptcy. However, Ege (Barış Arduç) isn’t easily swayed, and Aslı must extend her stay on the bay, accompanied by a surfing instructor, to achieve her goal.
Hande Erçel as Aslı in a still from “Leave It to the Wind”
Judging by the poster, the story might seem like a copy of films like “After” or “Fifty Shades of Grey.” However, it turns out to be a revival of a familiar yet somewhat forgotten formula of the standard romantic comedy – without the vulgarity, but with a pleasant, warm feeling during viewing. You might even feel like you need to brush sand off your shoes and wash sea salt from your skin and hair after leaving the cinema.
Predictable, Yet Comforting
During the first third of the film, you might be tempted to activate your inner snob and roll your eyes at the banality and simplicity of the clichéd melodramatic plot. The outcome is predictable: they will fall in love, conflicts will be forgotten, but after one wrong step, a serious quarrel will ensue, leading to a passionate kiss of love near the finale. The superficial dialogues, typical of the genre, even seem truncated in places.
Barış Arduç as Ege in a still from “Leave It to the Wind”
Let’s be honest. Rom-coms aren’t afraid of spoilers, and the genre’s audience doesn’t go to the cinema to be blown away by incredible plot twists or admire sharp dialogues on par with Aaron Sorkin’s work. Rom-coms offer a sweet pill of escapism and allow you to transport yourself somewhere far away (far from problems!). Engin Erden sends the audience to the beaches of Çeşme. And after another cute moment between the characters, the brain refuses to critically analyze the picture – you simply want to enjoy the film. You might even feel it’s unfair not to have a cocktail with an umbrella in your hand at that moment.
A Mediterranean “A Good Year”?
“Leave It to the Wind” can even be compared (with a significant allowance, of course) to Ridley Scott’s “A Good Year.” Instead of Hollywood stars, we have “folk” stars. Instead of the aromas of wine and lavender, we have salty spray and Mediterranean cuisine. In both stories, the characters flee from glass and concrete to greenery and air. Initially reluctantly, resisting and remaining collected and serious – within the defined lines of skyscrapers. But soon, constricting suits are replaced by linen shirts and shorts, and hair, curling from the humidity, is let down over bare shoulders.
Hande Erçel as Aslı in a still from “Leave It to the Wind”
Credit must be given to Hande Erçel. The changes in the image of the star of the series “Knock on My Door” are expressed not only in appearance but also in facial expressions and manners: her gaze softens, and her movements become fluid. Barış Arduç’s character looks and behaves more like a typical smiling handsome man in any romantic story. Fortunately, the main criterion of a good rom-com is met here – there is excellent chemistry between the characters. And for the benefit of the plot’s development, it gradually increases, culminating in the moment of the long-awaited kiss.
More Than Just a Hallmark Movie
The plot is painfully similar to the trope that Hallmark churns out in batches for television broadcasting year after year. However, the Turkish novelty, instead of character-functions – cardboard, mismatched, like Ken and Barbie for adults – substitutes living and interacting characters into the love equation, capable of laughing and teasing each other, and leaves room for spontaneity. It is also worth noting that their world is not limited to a nominal family-decoration but is expanded by secondary characters with their own problems and small storylines, which are also interesting to follow.
“Leave It to the Wind” is a very simple and familiar story to everyone. And even if it is not without its clip-like nature, banality, and contrived drama, you want to jump into it headfirst to stay there longer – under this music, with incredibly beautiful characters, landscapes, and a feeling of eternal summer. There are no serious dramatic challenges or deeply broken characters here, but there is the sometimes necessary opportunity to transport yourself to another reality, even for a couple of hours – sometimes that’s all that’s needed.