
German-born Umay flees her oppressive marriage in Istanbul, taking her young son Cem with her. She hopes to find a better life with her family in Berlin, but her unexpected arrival creates intense conflict. Her family is trapped in their conventions, torn between their love for her and the traditional values of their community. Ultimately they decide to return Cem to his father in Turkey. To keep her son, Umay is forced to move again. She finds the inner strength to build a n... (Full plot summary below)
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German-born Umay flees her oppressive marriage in Istanbul, taking her young son Cem with her. She hopes to find a better life with her family in Berlin, but her unexpected arrival creates intense conflict. Her family is trapped in their conventions, torn between their love for her and the traditional values of their community. Ultimately they decide to return Cem to his father in Turkey. To keep her son, Umay is forced to move again. She finds the inner strength to build a new life for herself and Cem, but her need for her family's love drives her to a series of ill-fated attempts at reconciliation. What Umay doesn't realize is just how deep the wounds have gone and how dangerous her struggle for self-determination has become...
Leave your thoughts about When We Leave.
| New York TimesA.O. ScottIt is frequently gripping and sincere in its intentions, but never quite as revelatory, or as devastating, as it should be. |
| Spirituality and PracticeFrederic and Mary Ann BrussatAn intense and soul-stirring German film about misogyny, tradition, reconciliation, and one Turkish woman's quest for independence. |
| Washington PostMark JenkinsAside from its conclusion, "When We Leave'' is credible and well-observed. |
| About.comDavid Nusair...a routine, interminably paced drama... |
| Boston PhoenixJeffrey GantzWhat elevates When We Leave is the three-dimensional acting and the larger context. |
| St. Louis Post-DispatchJoe WilliamsThis melodrama about spousal abuse and honor killings might be too grim to bear, but Kekilli keeps it centered. |
| East Bay ExpressKelly VanceIt's so melodramatic, with such crudely drawn, oversimplified characters and hackneyed situations, that it drains its own pond. |
| Philadelphia WeeklySean BurnsThe movie is suffocated by its own grim determinism. |
| About.comMarcy DermanskyUntil the final scene, Feo Aladag's When We Leave is an effective melodrama. |
| Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyThere are times when the tension lags badly and the story loses its way as Umay spins between her worlds. Still, it's a worthy start, and Aladag's distinctive voice helps the film survive any dismay. |