things Sinan, like so many young
men of his generation, doubts he
may ever possess.
As with Winter Sleep, The Wild
Pear Tree plays out in a series of
largely passive aggressive con-
versations, the subjects of which
range from such heady topics as
classism, religion and philosophy
to more mundane, albeit more
practical debates like the best way
to retrieve a bucket from a well or
get a couch up a flight of stairs.
Ceylan’s setting and its people
feel so lived in that at times we
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 55
feel like a child tugging at the
sleeve of a parent who stopped to
talk to a neighbour while out for
a walk, references to local dramas
we aren’t privy to dropped into
the middle of heated debates.
Some of the conversations seem
to stretch on endlessly, but they’re
never less than compelling. Cey-
lan’s film is a Wrestlemania for lov-
ers of great dialogue, offering us
a card packed with riveting bouts
between actors who must truly
cherish the gift of such substan-
tial material. We’re treated to one
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