Distant (2002)

Uzak struck me as a quiet, contemplative look at loneliness—not just being alone, but that more profound kind of isolation you can feel even when someone’s right there. I admired Ceylan’s direction: those long, still shots, the wintry mood, the way silence does most of the talking. Muzaffer Özdemir felt totally believable as Mahmut—stuck in his routines, emotionally bottled up—while Mehmet Emin Toprak brought this quiet sadness to his role that stayed with me. I appreciated the craft and atmosphere but never entirely connected with it emotionally. Beautifully made, just a little too distant for me.