About Dry Grasses

Cinephiles will rejoice at the arrival of an art-house event movie, and the return of Ceylan’s painterly eye and stark philosophy. His grip can be hypnotic.

Tiptoes around the edge of being suffocatingly verbose, and there are scenes that could stand a tighter edit. Still, the meaty, novelistic writing and exceptional quality of the performances make for a rich and engrossing viewing experience.

The vigorous, masterful script, written by the director his wife and frequent collaborator Ebru Ceylan, counterpoints the extended runtime. The director says he could have made the film longer&#59; remarkably, most viewers will agree.

It would be a waste to see About Dry Grasses anywhere other than on the largest screen, in the darkest cinema. It not only repays the time, it makes a change of pace nothing less than a moral recalibration.

Hope, disappointment, self-discovery: they’re all in here, along with, in the end, the dry grasses. Some will consider the film a masterpiece; others an ordeal. I’d lean towards the former but would also offer this advice: take sandwiches.

This would be a great double feature with The Teacher's Lounge (2023).

It's Dizdar, who won the best actress award at Cannes for her efforts, who steals the show and brings a steely heart to Ceylan's sad-sack black comedy.

The film imposes on itself at times, reproving points that felt sufficiently made earlier on, and drags on seemingly not knowing what is completely necessary to keep and what scenes are not needed to prove the points the film wants to make.

Eventually the snow lifts, but meanwhile the hearts of the people have been stunted and dried up, like the ruins of a once-mighty civilisation that can now be visited, and who knows what can happen?

The epic length of the film for what’s essentially a chamber piece isn't a problem because the twists and turns of Samet’s personality are compelling.