Man on Pause review: An entertaining dark comedy but bizarre execution

Man on Pause is a Turkish comedy-drama series that follows a man in his 50s going through andropause and trying to make changes in his life in order to find happiness. The series is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Yusuf is a typical family man in his 50s with two kids, who has just discovered that he is going through andropause.

He bleaches his hair, changes his dressing style, and undergoes a complete transformation in order to find happiness.

Yusuf’s family starts acting strangely around him as a result of the sudden change in his appearance and personality, believing that he is going to die, most likely from cancer.

However, Yusuf is only trying to change his life, and the misunderstandings with the family members lead to some humorous interactions.

When Yusuf makes the decision to move to the beach house of his dreams, his life becomes intertwined with the complicated lives of the wealthy landowner, Mahmut Timucin; his violent Russian lover, Svetlana; his ex-wife, Sahinde, and their attractive twin daughters.

Furthermore, the troubled marriage of Yusuf’s sister, Fadime, and brother-in-law, Halit, adds more drama to his life, and the wind of change becomes a bit too much for Yusuf. Will there be a happy ending for Yusuf and his family?

Performances

The chemistry between the two lead actors, Derya Karadas as Meryem and Engin Günaydin as Yusuf, and their outstanding acting in general, really saves the series.

Sebnem Hassanisoughi is a fantastic actress who was cast in an ideal role. Throughout the series, she really shines as the fortune teller, Fadime, and the battered wife who finally decides to free herself.

In addition, the actors who played the side characters, Turgut Tuncalp as Mahmut and Yuliia Sobol as Svetlana, did an outstanding job with their savage antagonist roles, which added a glorious touch to the series.

Both Gülçin Santircioglu as Sahinde and Tamer Karadagli as Halit come off as grating and over the top. They overact as their characters, which is obvious and annoying on screen.

Positives

Man on Pause conveys a strong message about change.

The creators want to convey that changing something requires a lot of courage, that not everyone can afford, and that change might even get you into trouble—as the main character undoubtedly does throughout the series.

There are some hilarious scenes in this series that will leave you laughing aloud. One shows Yusuf trying out contact lenses but struggling to remain still because of his ingrown hair.

Another instance is when Yusuf’s two children devise a plan to split up the property after his death.

Negatives

Although the series clearly defines itself as a comedy, as the plot develops, the suspense and murders overshadow it, breaking the comedy barrier.

The topic—a man going through andropause and trying to find happiness—is actually very interesting, but the clumsy screenplay and outdated perspective robbed it of all its potential.

The plot is incredibly dull and offers nothing to the audience. It tries a lot of things at once but falls short of striking the ideal balance between various comedy facets.

Verdict

If you’re looking for something new to watch that has a good message and you like Turkish content, then you might like this series. However, you’ll need some patience to sit through the entire six-part series.

Man on Pause
Man on Pause review: An entertaining dark comedy but bizarre execution 1

Director: Durul Taylan, Yagmur Taylan

Date Created: 2022-10-07 12:30

Editor's Rating:
2

Also Read: Man on Pause ending explained: Does Yusuf get his dream beach house?

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