User Reviews

According to Wikipedia, "The English word mustang is derived from the Spanish word mestengo (variant of mesteño), defined as 'wild, stray, ownerless'." The image and idea of a wild, ownerless horse has inspired imaginations throughout the western world and led to the word mustang representing sports cars, airplanes, ships, cities, sports teams and even used by artists, musicians, businesses and by some politicians who consider themselves rogue agents of change. 2015 added to the word's long list of uses the French-Turkish drama "Mustang" (PG-13, 1:37), which became France's submission for the 88th Annual Academy Awards and was nominated for (and was a strong contender for) the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Given its subject matter and quality, "Mustang" is a great name for a great film.

The movie explores the relationships and lives of five adolescent sisters living in the seaside village of Inebolu in north-central Turkey. Inebolu is known for, among other things, the spirited (and successful) defense it mounted when attacked during the Turkish War for Independence. Fittingly, these five girls (played by Güneş Şensoy, Doğa Doğuşlu, Elit İşcan, Tuğba Sunguroğlu and İlayda Akdoğan) are also very spirited. You might even call them wild (in a strongly independent sense), they are kind of ownerless – as orphans living with their grandmother (Nihal Koldaş) and uncle (Ayberk Pekcan) – and they are quite prone to stray from the strict expectations of their strongly conservative society – as much as they can.

When the girls are caught innocently frolicking in the sea with some of their (gasp) male classmates one day after school, their lives change suddenly and dramatically. After much yelling and some beatings from their caregivers, the girls are confined to the house and lose almost all contact with the outside world, except for the people that their uncle and grandmother bring to the house. Telephones and computers are locked in a closet, bars are placed over the windows, clothing the girls chose for themselves are replaced by drab, formless dresses and daily life becomes an endless series of home economics classes in which female relatives come by to teach the girls how to be proper Turkish wives.

Also coming by the house is a parade of single young men with whom grandma begins arranging marriages for the girls. She's starting with the oldest and plans on working her way down the line. The girls, however, have other ideas. Without revealing too much about the rest of the movie, I'll just say that what grandma intends to be a succession of five cookie-cutter weddings doesn't work out exactly the way she and the girls' uncle plan. In spite of instances of abuse and the increasingly severe limitations on their personal freedom, the girls still fight to be themselves, spread their wings, meet boys on their own, keep supporting each other and enjoy each other's company as long as possible.

"Mustang" represents the best in foreign film. Besides co-writing the script, this is French-Turkish filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven's directorial debut and she gives us a film which displays consistently expert tone and pacing. Some of the plot points feel overly dramatic, but this story takes an important look at extremely conservative southwestern Asia societies. Most westerners won't be able to readily relate to the lives of these girls, but the interesting story and very natural performances draw in the audience for an entertaining experience while helping them understand the world in which they live. "Mustang" is also largely a celebration of sisterhood and feminine empowerment, but it's hard to imagine anyone not being touched by this very personal and dramatic story. "A-"

Even though i assume not many people will read this i'm going to put a disclaimer first. I honestly don't mind if this is a 100% real representation of Turkish culture or not, and it doesn't need to be, no live action film does, this isn't a documentary. Simply put, if it successfully tells a good story then the film did its job and i'm happy with it. Also, i heard many people online hated the movie only because it had some direct feminist themes, the hate is highly undeserved,not only because that isn't a valid enough reason, but because the film doesn't bang you over the head with its messages, and there are many more universal themes weaved in the narrative structure of the film. Now that thats out of the way lets get into the review.

The film tells the tale about five young free spirited sisters living in a conservative Turkish household, and the friction regarding the relationship between them and their uncle and grandmother. it's a touching story about the generational gap that exists between them, and the need for the sisters to find their place in life that isn't determined by their family. Technical aspects of the film are quite superb, to my eye the editing was professional, and the cinematography beautiful, the sombre soundtrack goes hand in hand with the story of the film, and the acting was at least as far ass i could tell very good, although i cant be sure since i don't speak Turkish. One of the first things i noticed when i watched the film is that the family relations depicted in the film bear a striking resemblance to an old conservative Serbian family, which doesn't come as a big surprise since the Turks practically ruled our lands for five centuries, and that is one of the main reasons i would recommend this to anyone who was raised in a Balkan country which was occupied by the Turks, because i think they will find some interesting parallels.

What bothered me the most about the film was the fact that certain characters weren't very developed, specifically the teacher, and the driver that frequently helps the younger sister, i simply wished that the script devoted more time to explaining their motivation. Also the ending seamed very unexpected, and not in a good way, it simply wasn't foreshadowed enough for it to be satisfying.

All in all i think this is a worthy contender for the academy award, and it made me very interested in the future career of Deniz Gamze Ergüven, the director of the film, she is a talented woman with a bright future regarding the world of cinema, i wish her the best of luck.

I just saw this movie in a nearly full capacity packed 300 seat theater. Very rarely I rate 10 out of 10, but this piece of film art blew me away from beginning to end, so what more can a viewer expect out of cinema.

Five teenagers grow up in a very conservative Turkish village. From early age it is expected that they will marry with a boy the elders prefer, rather than loose themselves in foolish romance. What makes the movie so appealing is the outstanding acting performances of the five teenagers and the realistic way the plot develops. Mustang at the same time offers a laugh and a tear; the viewer is offered the perspective of young ladies growing up, discovering their sexuality and being told that this is a bad thing.

Of course some critics will argue that this movie might give viewers a wrong impression about Turkey. This kind of criticism would be the same as stating when a director portrays a story about any kind of bad situation in a certain country, a viewer might get a wrong impression about the country as a whole. This way not one movie should be set in any country in the world because some viewers will always generalize a specific situation.

This movie is clearly set in a small rather isolated agricultural village in Turkey; it clearly isn't set in Istanbul (the more modern capital of Turkey). The director also does a very good job of not pointing the finger towards Islam (the main religion in Turkey).

What is questioned in this movie is not so much about religion, it is conservatism as a concept which is questioned.

A must see movie, one of the best if not the best I've seen in 2015 and the only one I saw in 2015 I rate 10/10.

Mustang is a Turkish movie inspired by Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides. It takes place in a remote village in Turkey and follows the story of five sisters whose very conservative family slowly takes away all forms of 'perversion' away from them in order to make them 'suitable wives'.

The movie doesn't beat you over the head with its feminist message but lets the drama unfold naturally. The tone is surprisingly sweet and even funny in places for a movie with such a subject matter. First time director Deniz Gamze Ergüven has a strong grip on tone; she never allows the movie to become too gritty for its own good. The girls are not defined by the plot like it's often the case with this type of movies; they have moments of laughs and happiness which never undermine the seriousness of the subject matter.

The performances from the lead actresses are phenomenal. The youngest girl blew me away - not once do you feel like she's acting. Their performances is what make them so distinctive from each other and not just stand-ins for Oppressed Muslim Girls TM like it's often the case.

Mustang is easily one of the best feminist movies of the year, proudly sitting next to The Diary of a Teenage Girl. It's sincere and heartfelt, it's not preachy but honest and it shows great premise for the future of its director. Don't miss it!

Undeniably amongst the most powerful, provocative & pragmatic narratives to surface on the silver screen in recent years, Mustang is a beautifully balanced blend of skillful direction, sensible writing & terrific performances that takes a much-needed dig at patriarchy & conservatism and also works as a joyful celebration of sisterhood.

Set in a small Turkish village, the story of Mustang follows five young orphaned sisters whose lives are changed completely when they are caught innocently playing with some boys on a beach, after which their conservative family bars them from going to school anymore and begins marrying them off one by one without their consent.

Co-written & directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven in what is actually her feature film debut, Mustang takes only a few minutes to establish the strong bond between the siblings before stepping into the realm of absurd social & cultural restraints that snatches away their freedom in the blink of an eye and every restriction imposed upon them turns out to be both nonsensical & unnerving.

The screenplay is no slouch either for it packs in an engaging storyline that smoothly unfolds over the course of its runtime and is filled with meaty characters whose arcs are well-defined plus they exhibit surprising depths. Ergüven's never goes in-your-face with her critical stance on orthodox mentality but simply exposes the challenges women face when growing up in such communities.

The technical aspects are thoroughly refined and work in harmony to further uplift the film's tone & ambiance to its desired level. Camera is expertly utilised, always keeping its focus on the relevant characters, while the bright colour palette reflects the strength & joy the sisters find in each other's company even in the bleakest of circumstances. And editing is immaculately carried out as well for every sequence plays a vital role in the story.

Coming to the performances, Mustang features a relatively inexperienced cast but the contribution from the five girls who play siblings in this feature is a highlight in itself. The scripted characters do have some flesh on them, thus providing a solid platform for the actors to built their performances upon but they further up the ante by delivering wonderfully layered & highly convincing inputs that makes all the relevant characters in the film stand out.

The story is told from the perspective of Lale, the youngest of the five siblings, and it's through her eyes that we witness the injustice she & her sisters are subjected to yet what keeps them together is their common passion for freedom & constant pursuit of ways to bypass the restrictions imposed upon them by the elders. And it is this rebellious nature that slowly accumulates as plot progresses & finally concludes with an act of self-preservation that finishes the tale on a hopeful note.

On an overall scale, Mustang is an ingeniously crafted, meticulously layered & deftly measured cinema that's engaging, entertaining & enlightening on more levels than one and for a first time filmmaker, it's an incredibly polished effort. Ergüven's direction exudes both confidence & composure and the story as a whole manages to make its voice heard loud & clear. A fearless celebration of womanhood & a heartfelt rendition of the indomitable will of human spirit, Mustang is a timely & welcome coming- of-age story and is essential viewing in every sense of the word. Don't miss it!

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer/director Deniz Gamze Erguven admits to being inspired by Sophia Coppola's 1999 The Virgin Suicides (though this is not a remake), and by offering us a rare glimpse into the lives of five sisters in a rural community in Turkey, it's clear why the film has been so well received at film festivals – culminating in an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film. It's a bit confusing that the film is credited to France (Ms. Erguven's current place of residence) as it takes place in Turkey and is performed in Turkish. But of course, country of origin is a minor ripple in this year's uproar over diversity at the Oscars.

Not being any type of expert in Turkey culture or customs, I must accept that the insights provided by Ms. Erguven and her co-writer Alice Winocour are somewhat accurate, which makes the balance between the tradition of female oppression and the amazing spirit of the girls so relatable for many. What begins as a seemingly harmless game of chicken the girls play with some classmates (boys) on the way home after the semester's last day of classes, turns into a series of events that most will find absolutely unacceptable. The shame brought to the family and the threat of the girls being "spoiled" highlights the extreme reactions from their grandmother (Nihal G Koldas) and Uncle Erol (Ayberk Pekcan).

Lale (Gunes Sensoy) is the youngest of the sisters and in the end proves to be the toughest and most independent. And that's really saying something. We take in much of what happens through Lale's expressive eyes, and we as viewers long for reasonableness to enter their lives. After being what can only be described as imprisoned in their own home, the spirit of the girls collectively and individually becomes clear. They find ways, small and large, to rebel … but it's soon enough clear that the mission is to marry the girls off before it's too late (there's that "spoiled" thing again).

As Lale witnesses what her older sisters are subjected to, and how happiness or their own wishes play no role, she becomes more determined to avoid such destiny. With skewed perspective, one might make the argument that Grandmother and Uncle are doing what they think is in the long term best interests of the girls, but the Uncle's despicable actions void any such thought. Instead we are left to marvel at the strength and spirit of the girls in world that holds them in such low regard as individuals.

Lale's sisters are Sonay (IIayda Akdogan), Nur (Doga Zeynep Doguslu), Selma (Tugba Sunguroglu) and Ece (Elit Iscan). The girls are so natural together that we never doubt their sisterly bond. They argue like sisters, defend each other as sisters, and play together like sisters … were it not for their isolated existence, their bond would be a joy to behold. The cinematography throughout the film adds to the discomfort and dread we feel, and the acting is naturalistic and believable. In the end, it's the unbridled freedom of the titular creature that Lale defiantly embraces … whatever the consequences may be.

Five sisters play in the sand, sunlight, sea and a grove of apple trees. Because boys are present the innocent play is easily twisted, by an envious conservative busy-body, into something sinister. The orphan girls are reported as "whores." Their caretakers, an uncle and grandmother, are much less concerned about the truth than what the neighbors might say. The girls are confined to their house and relegated to shapeless brown dresses, cooking lessons and virginity tests. Banned items include phones, internet and any item capable of outside communication. Their once beautiful and happy playground on the Black Sea is transformed into a "wife-factory" with bars on the windows. Each girl deals with the physical and emotional imprisonment in different ways, sometimes hopeful and often not. The non-professional actors do really well. The girls are especially good because they gel so well together. On the other hand, some of the scenes and actors seem forced and unrealistic. As usual, this independent and worthy film might have benefited from better support. The film as a whole pulls some punches and risks becoming the Walt Disney of Turkey for its glossy portrayals of serious stuff. Then again, that might be the only way the film could be released widely? The moral here, for the girls' caretakers, is that you are likely to get burned if you fight fire with fire. "Evil must be your only happiness," when you see evil everywhere.

"I feel the air flowing for life's in full swing, so tell me why I cannot breathe" – Kate Rusby, Fallin' Since the dawn of human history, men's ability to suppress the rights of women has been a measure of their power. Despite our social advances, even today women are often put into categories such as, as author Estela Welldon describes it, "Mother, Madonna, or Whore." Accusations of being either cold and prudish or seductive and manipulative obscure the fact that sex for women is as natural and healthy a form of self expression as it is for men. Unfolding against a backdrop of adolescent sexual repression, rebellion, and loss of innocence, Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven's magical first feature Mustang tackles the issue of gender inequality that women all over the world have to confront, the title symbolizing their strength and untamed spirit.

Co-written by the director and Alice Winocour, the film is set in a rural Turkish village near the Black Sea, and takes place in a conservative patriarchal culture that discourages the expression of femininity other than in fulfilling traditional gender roles. Though Mustang is filmed in Turkey and spoken in Turkish, because France is the director's adopted country, it was France's entry for the Oscars Best Foreign Language Film award in 2016. In the film, five orphaned teenage sisters, Lale (Güneş Nezihe Şensoy), Nur (Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu), Ece (Elit Işcan), Selma (Tuğba Sunguroğlu), and Sonay (Ilayda Akdoğan) are being raised in the countryside by their uncle Erol (Ayberk Pekcan, "Winter Sleep") and their grandmother (Nihal G. Koldas, "Kuma"). Though sad that their favorite teacher (Bahar Karimoglu) is going to Istanbul, the girls enjoy the final day of their school year, engaging in horseplay with local boys in waist-deep water.

Their joyous exuberance is turned into something dirty, however, by a local gossip who accuses them of sexually touching themselves against the boys' necks and, of course, it is the girls who must pay the price. As an innocent game becomes the catalyst for intimidation, the girls are taken one by one by grandma to check their virginity and are subject to beatings from their overbearing uncle. Anything potentially corrupting is taken away such as their cell phones and computers along with their makeup. Expressive, often skimpy outfits are substituted with ugly, shapeless, colorless dresses that destroy their vibrancy.

The restrictions become even more blatant after they sneak away to attend a soccer match, even though the crowd is all female (men have been refused entry after a riot). Though Erol didn't see them at the game thanks to a relative who sabotages the electricity to the entire village, their act of rebellion is the last straw for the grandmother. The house becomes a prison as bars are put on the windows and a group of local women arrive to teach the girls cooking and housekeeping in preparation for their preordained role in life as wives and mothers. The situation is promptly described by the feisty Lale who asserts that their home has become a "wife factory," and that their key function will be to produce children.

Even sadder, there are darker things going on which are not shown but are implied when we see Uncle Erol going into Nur's room at night, after which the grandmother hides the sheets. Most likely aware of what's going on but powerless to prevent it, she begins to arrange marriages for each one of them. Sonay rebels and insists that she will only marry her boyfriend Ekin (Enes Surum) which is agreed to. Selma, however, is not so fortunate. After her marriage to a boring partner, she is forced to undergo a gynecological examination when there's no blood on the sheets, despite her repeated and truthful assertions that she is a virgin. While the forced marriage plan is partially successful, it leads to tragedy that we are totally unprepared for.

Anticipating that she may need to escape this prison before she is also ground down into the passive, compliant woman the family desires, Lale is secretly taught how to drive by Yasin (Burak Yigit, "Victoria"), a friendly neighborhood truck driver and her thoughts turn to other possibilities. Mustang is marked by outstanding performances by the five sisters who display an intimacy that breathes love and affection. Though the film deals with disturbing subject matter, it is not a depressing film. The remarkable performances by these outstanding young women and the connection they have with each other is exhilarating as is their willingness to assert their individuality and their humanity in the face of ignorance masked by good intentions.

This is a Turkish film with the Turkish cast and crew, but financially co-supported by France. So it was nominated for the 88th American Academy Awards to represent France, after the Turkish film board denied to pick it. The film is set in the rural that tells a story of five young orphaned sisters who were raised by their stereotype grandmother and strict uncle. It depicts how those girls grow up without the parental supervise which is more essential than under others care and challenges they face due to difference between modern lifestyle they want to adopt and old traditions they inherited.

I know everybody comparing it with 'The Virgin Suicides' and so I thought the same because that's what everyone thinks who had watched these two films. There are some similarities between these two titles, but not the same film, that's very clear. Because of the cultural difference they slightly drew a different storyline, other than that the core of the story remained same. Written and directed by a woman filmmaker, so the narrative was very good that details the issues surrounding women. Especially about the impact of the lives when people nose into others affair.

It opens when the five sisters were punished by their grandmother after the report came from their neighbour lady for them playing on the beach with the boys. Thereafter their life changes and day by day their happiness declines for the severely imposed rules against them in the house. Later, one after another, they all forced to marry the groom they have chosen for them in a traditional way. But the youngest among them all is the most rebellious, so when her sisters were enforced, she plans to fight back and that's the remaining story that tells what happens with the remaining sisters.

"I don't care about the match, I want to get the hell out."

They say Turkey is more a Europe than the middle-east, except being an Islam nation. But this film briefs the domestic abuse in the name of culture and religion on the young generation. The truth is, there is an upcoming culture of the future among the youngsters of the human earthlings in the line of one planet, one culture. That is nothing, but getting themselves free from the thousands of years old rules. Obviously, in this advanced science and digital world, they're completely outdated, especially Islam is struggling to cooperate with the future world. From that perspective, this film narrated a wonderful, an eye opening tale.

I have heard the Turkish origins who had watched the film arguing about what it depicted is not true. I know that they know better than me on this, but what I want to tell is that any nation and its people go through this kind of cultural struggle/revolution. Especially in the remote places who are cut off from the modern lifestyle in their daily routine, and when the chief of the house is an elder person who is very conservative. Whatever the advanced country is Turkey among other Islam countries, there's still the gender equality issue's persist due to the religion. Of course not the whole nation, but among the orthodox families. That's the same fate of other nations and its religion as well that has to change.

I have seen many Turkish films and this was very different from those, especially it digs on the positive and negative impacts of the old cultural practice which questions is it really necessary to carry on in this modern world? I am not a religious person, and I have no problem with the people of faith, but my take on this might really irk them. The elders should give chance to choose what their youngsters want, of course with supervised, instead forcing them to do everything in the old way what they and their parents did decades and centuries ago.

Yep, the film deserved it's Oscars nominee, but it did not win the prestigious award and that's okay because a better film bagged it. This director is going to have a great future in the filmdom, like the next Sofia Coppola. I hope her next work would be an international project. In the meantime, if you haven't seen it, give it a try, it is a good film that briefs in the line between the past and the future, there is present that ever exist where everything happens like the pains of the past, the present revolution and the future plan.

7/10

Mustang tackles with Turkey's most important problem, the issue of woman in society: her secondary place and the patriarchal chains around her, due to culture, politics, religion and socio-economic development. Therefore, the director's effort should be viewed as most welcome and needed attempt. I think the director manages to show the virtual prison experienced by all sort of women in our society, through the case of those sisters.

However, and despite the director's best intention, movie in general fails to deliver an authentic picture of everyday life and details in the country. Oppression of girls and their youthful desires is correctly depicted as a whole, but done in somewhat unrealistic ways. You get the feeling that the director, the script writer, and even the actors remain quite "foreigners" to the situations they are interested. Some are accusing the director as orientalist (playing to Western gaze) because of these failings. I don't agree, but it would be better if they had worked more on the everyday life and details of the countryside where the film occurs (like better local dialogue, better acquaintance of local customs).

In short, I found Mustang a very important movie, but with its own problems. Technically it does not offer something novel, but it is courageous directly to point the gender issue in a very conservative society.

A film like this can work on many levels, and surely not just on a basic entertainment factor. It's intriguing because it sets up situations and dilemmas that different sections of the world may entirely reveal shock at it, but these sort of situations can be unfortunate for all involved. Gender issues are at the forefront here and the writing cleverly touches on the issue, along with sexuality as a whole, while creating well-developed characters that serve to guide us through the fascinating, intriguing tale. The entire film is well-directed, a lot of nuance in the proceedings as well as a delicate hand that may have spiraled out of control in the hands of another director. The acting is also uniformly good, and all of the young female characters (in particular the lead) handle the heavy material really well.

Mustang (2015) was co-scripted and directed by the female Turkish director Deniz Gamze Ergüven. Alice Winocour, the French screenwriter and director, co-scripted the film. (It's considered a French film, set in Turkey.)

In the first scenes of the film, five teenage sisters are walking home from school, and they can't resist taking a detour to a beach. Some teenage boys join them, and they enjoy some splashing and roughhousing. By the time they get home, a neighbor has reported this outrage to their grandmother, and they are severely chastised. They receive a tongue lashing (and possibly more) from their uncle, their phones are taken away, their computer is disconnected. They can no longer leave home. In fact they are literally under house arrest, because the windows and doors are barred.

The sisters are spirited, intelligent young women. They make the best of their situation while they try to overcome it. You applaud their spirit not to surrender, but the yoke of the traditional society is immensely heavy.

The acting of the cast is outstanding, and the film is well crafted. Their are comic moments, but for me the entire movie was a grim reminder of the plight of women in a harsh, traditional society. Remember--these are not women in some small, isolated community. They are modern women trapped in a non-modern milieu. I found the film discouraging and sad, more than an uplifting tribute to the human spirit.

We saw Mustang at the excellent Little Theatre in Rochester, NY. It will work on the small screen.

P.S. Mustang was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards

Native reviewers have already pointed out how unreal the depictions of rural Turkish people are in this film, and that the dialogue seems to have been dreamt up and written in another language first and then translated into the language spoken onscreen. Certainly the girls seem much more like sassy inner-city western teenagers than country girls in a Muslim nation.

And this is perhaps the biggest problem: it's a foreigners' view of the east, seen through the ideological lens of western feminism. This lens assumes with a somewhat colonialist arrogance that if only Muslim girls could take a gender studies course, shave their heads and start self-harming themselves, like normal people do, everything would be alright for them.

Yes, this makes the film easier for a liberal westerner to relate to, but only by misrepresenting the realities of the girls living in a very different culture, with a very different set of values and beliefs that are not portrayed here at all.

Many others here have pointed out the pronounced similarity to The Virgin Suicides (and perhaps Picnic At Hanging Rock), and indeed it often feels much more an American teen movie version of the Islamic world than something coming out from that world itself.

Other things seemed not to ring true, such as one of the sister's erratic and promiscuous behaviour and the sex abuse subtext thrown in at the 11th hour that doesn't make sense in terms of any of the characters' behaviours and is not fleshed out enough to warrant its inclusion.

For all this, it's still a well-made film, and the emotional scenes feel powerful, if manipulative. The acting by the sisters in particular is very good, and there are a good number of nice, quiet moments well portrayed, but its ability to observe and report honestly is compromised somewhat by its one-sided agenda.

'Mustang' is the (2016) Oscar Nominated foreign film out of Turkey. It's received quite a bit of recognition, being called one of the most timely films to have released in the past couple of years. While, I can't deny that statement, I also can't quite get on board with it. The film follows five young women who are all being raised by their Grandmother. One day they are playing harmlessly in the ocean with a couple of guys and someone sees them. She doesn't see what they are doing as harmless and goes to the Grandmother about it. After this their life makes a complete 180 and their old fashioned Uncle takes over caring for them. He turns the house into a prison of sorts and beings marrying them off one by one. If you can't already tell, the message that the film is pushing is the oppression of women in Turkey. It shows that, in many cases, care takers can be very cruel with little repercussions. It was frustrating to watch to say the least.

This is brought to life with grace by first time director Deniz Gamze Ergüven. It's quite miraculous how much control she seems to have over the entire production. Even more impressive is her direction over the main five girls. All of which have never been in a film like this before.

Which is all the more impressive considering how excellent their performances end up being. Each one really brings their character to life with superb energy. If you didn't know any better it would be easy to say that these girls seem to legitimately be sisters. The scenes where they all share the screen captures their us against them mentality extremely well.

While I knew how much praise this film was receiving I still came out fairly surprised at how technically impressive it was. Again, considering how many first timers where on board this film is something of a miracle. Everything from the production design to the cinematography is very well done.

However, the films script is not nearly as strong as the rest of the movie. It unfortunately puts its characters second to its message. All but one or two characters are blank slates that could have been exchanged at any time and I probably would not have noticed. Even the characters that get some development aren't interesting enough to drive the films slower moments.

Of which, there are many. The majority of acts one and two feel like excessive set up for the conclusion. Through the first hour of the film I felt like nothing really mattered to anything. It's full of plot conveniences that make everything fall flat. Like when the girls run away to attend a soccer game and some how manage to get on TV at the exact moment that their grandmother was watching. And even more convenient, their Uncle somehow didn't see them.

It's hard to get invested into a story that doesn't feel like it matters. And, to make things worse, it takes its strong message and decides to shove it in our faces. A once (mostly) subtle message is taken to the extreme when sexual assault comes into play. After that point there was nothing about the story that was interesting or new. It felt like something that was on a studio check list. Something that had to be in the movie or it wasn't going to be made. And it made the film turn from a "timely" film into a standard one.

It wastes it's great cast and crew with a story that doesn't do anything good. Its characters are relatively flat, the story isn't anything new, and its message is taken to an unnecessary, irrational extreme for little to no reason. As hard as it tries too, nothing in my life is going to change because of this film. In fact, it's so blah, that I will most likely forget about within a few days.

Mustang" is a stunning debut feature by Deniz Gamze Ergüven about five sisters in rural Turkey. Confined to their grandmother's house, the girls bridle against losing their freedoms in a story grounded in both laughter and tears, and above all in the resilient strength of these girls against soul-deadening strictures.

It is top class start for a first-time Director. It is a heart-warming and yet challenging depiction of 5 orphaned teenage sisters and the paternal culture that find themselves in a small community well away from the big cities. It starts with a scene of teenagers having fun and descends quickly into a nightmare. Yet it has many moments of humour and the photography is a highlight. Certainly the strong bond of love between them is depicted beautifully. The standout performance is the first-time actress who plays Lale, the youngest of the 5. She sees all, with maturity beyond her years. Her personalities of her siblings are varied with all trying to cope in their own ways. It appears that it is not all that common in modern day Turkey (as suggested by other reviews) yet I consider it a journey worth taking.