You Do You 2023 Movie Review
Merve chose the bohemian lifestyle, but it hasn’t worked out for her. On the verge of eviction, she starts a new job… and finds herself in a sticky situation with her boss. The lovely Ahsen Eroğlu ( Mother , The Crow , Call My Manager ) plays the eccentric protagonist of the Turkish novel “Merve Kült” in the adaptation Be Yourself , directed by Cemal Alpan and also starring Ozan Dolunay, Zuhal Olcay, Ferit Aktuğ , Esra Akkaya, Arif Pişkin, Ege Aydan, Sevgi Burcu Türünz, Levent Meşe and Mine Tugay . The film opens on Netflix on June 9, 2023.
Although it seems that Turkish romantic comedies do not stop being released, both on free-to-air channels and on platforms, either in series or as movies, the truth is that the market has not reached its ceiling and there is still an audience for this content. Every time we get productions from Turkey that move away from the typical romantic comedies, touching genres like thriller and mystery, or going through drama and romance, but what really works wonders are the romantic comedies on the platforms, and that’s why every so often we have Turkish movies and series of this genre.
The romantic comedy Be yourself , written by Ceylan Naz Baycan and Cemal Alpan , is based on the original version of the novel by Ceylan Naz Baycan with the same title, and does not seek to surprise or innovate with its script, which revolves around the typical story in the one where two very different people discover that they really are made for each other. In this film, Merve Kült ( Ahsen Eroğlu) is a young woman who dreams of one day being a famous fashion designer. The problem is that she has made little progress in her way,… or rather she has made no progress at all. As if that were not enough, her father wants to sell the house in which she lives due to lack of liquidity, and with little time left for her to leave her home, she decides to do something to earn enough money and avoid it. Together with a group of her friends, she finds an investor, Anil Gürman ( Ozan Dolunay ), who is not only interested in giving her a job but also in investing in the “masked” dating app that she wants to develop with her friends.
Despite revolving the main plot around the two characters that we all know will end up being a couple if nothing disappoints us in this predictable romantic comedy, and we are seeing cliché after cliché with stereotyped characters that we have seen many times in the movies, the truth is It’s just that Be Yourself isn’t as simple and ordinary as you might expect. Merve is a young woman with clear ideas even if things don’t always turn out the way she expects, and even the arrogant and millionaire man who appears in her life has much more behind him than what it seemed from his facade, including a story of revenge ( although halfway it seems that he forgets her).
Beyond the relationship between the two and what it can offer us, the film has some original ideas such as the peculiar dating application that Merve develops with her friends, in which conversations and appointments are created behind an animal mask in order to get to know each other well without be predisposed to anything by outward appearance. Thus, each one can try to meet other people without physical prejudices and without making a Match just for the photo. This application brings to the film an interesting idea, although we can consider the need to use animal masks designed for the occasion instead of simply not showing photos or avoiding video calls. Likewise, I’m not sure how the logistics of sending a mask to each person who signs up could be implemented without making the App costly, but it can clearly get more people to use these dating apps by feeling more comfortable about not being judged on their appearance. It would not be unusual for someone to emulate this idea and see it in reality.
These two different stories give the film its differential touch, but also make us wonder why the protagonist, who dreams of being a fashion designer, ends up working on a dating app. But if we don’t ask ourselves questions, and let ourselves be carried away by its simple story and the family and personal dramas sweetened with some humor, it will satisfy those who want to see a Turkish romantic comedy with no other pretensions than to entertain the viewer.
In summary, Be Yourself is a Turkish romantic comedy with all the clichés of opposites attracting, and although the conclusion is quite anticlimactic and even absurd, it can be seen as a product to leave the background on TV without having to pay too much money. attention, complying with those who do not aspire to see a film that they want to remember in a few days.
