Hasan útja

Commitment Hasan is an old-world Turkish drama about the burden of a troubled conscience, the common and uncommon hardships associated with farming and the deeds that one cannot make amends for even with the strongest will to do so. The key aspects of this slow-burning portrait of a flawed man trying to cleanse himself of petty and more serious sins before his journey to Mecca are the lead actor’s performance and the camerawork, which helps to thoroughly depict the lifestyle of a successful farmer through frequent shots of nature’s gifts, lush orchards, vegetable patches and the surrounding scenery. The ending comes with an excellent cathartic point. Until then, however, the trudging pace of the narrative, in combination with the not very dramatic plot, makes it impossible for the film to captivate the viewer other than through a few visual compositions. That said, the consistent quality of what is being depicted is unquestionable. Not all of the storylines are tied together in the climax (the passages with the rejection of the embroidered tablecloth and the purchase of the neighbor’s failing fields are not brought to a conclusion). However, these minor dramaturgical shortcomings are offset by, among other things, the accurate casting of the supporting roles and the refreshing (though unfortunately only peripheral) storyline about the preparations for the holy pilgrimage, which apparently costs much more than many vacations. (2021.08.21)