Faraway (2023) review: The ideal Women’s Day gift

In Faraway, a woman realises that her mother had purchased a house in Croatia years ago and goes to visit it in search of answers. The Turkish rom-com is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Zeynep (Naomi Krauss), a 49-year-old woman has always cared about others’ happiness. But nobody ever seems to reciprocate, especially her neglectful husband, Ilyas (Adnan Maral).

It’s too much for her when Ilyas fails to show up to her mother’s funeral just to spend time with a young female chef.

After a spat between the two, Zeynep makes an impulsive choice and leaves for her mother’s house in Croatia, which is on an island.

To her surprise, a man named Josip (Goran Bogdan) has been living in the house without paying any rent as he made a deal with her mother. Only when Zeynep arrives was he supposed to forfeit the house.

At the island, she ponders renting out or outright selling the house but slowly starts to rediscover herself and what happiness truly means to her.

Performances

Both Krauss and Bogdan are excellent as the two lead characters. Their chemistry is essential for the rom-com to work and they do not disappoint.

Their romance is also portrayed with nuance and the film does not use needless over-the-top gestures. The two actors and characters are a highlight of the film.

Positives

Released on International Women’s Day, Faraway is a gift for all women across the world who face similar issues in life due to their gender.

From the first moment, Zeynep is expected to act in line with the social conventions attached to an almost 50-year-old woman. And she does so without hesitation.

Only after he experiences in Croatia and personal growth does she begin to question what she truly wants and that it’s alright to desire your own happiness.

It also takes a dig at the patriarchal mindset where men are free to date those who are half their age, but when a woman does the same it’s considered a taboo.

Set on an island, the cinematography is exquisite. The film is full of shots that will leave you mesmerised and make you even want to visit.

Negatives

The narrative could have been stronger. The pondering of whether to sell the house or not is uninspiring and rather forced to create a conflict.

With the amount of supporting characters in the film, it’s surprising that not a single one is fleshed out. Right from Ilyas to Zeynep’s daughter, Fia. The latter had great potential as a character and it feels like a missed opportunity.

Verdict

Faraway is definitely worth a watch. It is easily better than most run-of-the-mill rom-com that simply rehash the same storyline over and over.

Faraway
Faraway (2023) review: The ideal Women’s Day gift 1

Director: Vanessa Jopp

Date Created: 2023-03-08 20:37

Editor's Rating:
3

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