Innocence
A newly released prisoner enters a bleak web of obsession, dependency, and emotional captivity in contemporary Turkey.
Overview
A man re-enters a world that has moved on without him, facing the ghosts of his past.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- austere
- oppressive
- quiet evening
- serious film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, uncompromising Turkish drama distinguished by its psychological depth, bleak atmosphere, and exceptional performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Yusuf begins the story after a ten-year prison sentence, frightened by life outside and dependent on an address supplied by another prisoner.
The intertwined lives of Bekir, Ugur, and Yusuf are shaped by obsessive attachment, dependency, and limited alternatives.
The prison release premise and intimate focus on damaged characters create a restrained, oppressive dramatic register.
The film follows ex-prisoner Yusuf and other socially isolated figures within a contemporary Turkish setting, foregrounding lives outside social stability.
Films like Innocence, and why
The Third Man
bleak, psychologically intense character drama about damaged people trapped by guilt and desire
Breaking the Waves
melancholic European drama centered on emotional entrapment, damaged relationships, and moral ambiguity
The Piano Teacher
austere relationship drama with tragic romantic fixation and psychologically complex characters
The Lives of Others
dark, intimate drama about imprisonment, alienation, and desperate attempts at connection
Movie Details
- Director
- Zeki Demirkubuz
- Release Date
- 1997-10-24
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (135)
Cast
- Haluk Bilginer
- Derya Alabora
- Güven Kıraç
- Nihal Koldaş
- Ümit Çırak
- Yalçın Çakmak
- İskender Altın
- Melis Tuna
- Doğan Turan
- Ajlan Aktuğ
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Innocence about?
- A newly released prisoner enters a bleak web of obsession, dependency, and emotional captivity in contemporary Turkey.
- What is Innocence like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Innocence as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Innocence violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Innocence as mild.
- What did critics think of Innocence?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, uncompromising Turkish drama distinguished by its psychological depth, bleak atmosphere, and exceptional performances.
- Which films are like Innocence?
- Films with a similar feel include The Third Man, Breaking the Waves, The Piano Teacher, and The Lives of Others.
- How long is Innocence?
- Innocence runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Innocence?
- In United States, Innocence is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
