By watching Fatih Akin's (I swore his name was "Faith") The Edge of Heaven, I satisfied some major cinematic blindspots: cinema of Turkey and Akin's movies himself. I was not disappointed when I heard The Cut was received poorly in Venice last year because I knew nothing of Akin and his movies. But to me, now, Akin can do no wrong. This is probably the best Turkish film I've seen too. The Edge of Heaven is a smarter and more concise film than Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and Winter Sleep.
I went into The Edge of Heaven totally blind and you should too. There are two main plots that converge quite beautifully in the third act. However, the first two acts at times do feel dreadfully aimless. But it pays off, trust me. (what credibility do I have, though???)
The Edge of Heaven is a lovely entry in current world cinema. It's a mature film not only about religious conflict, but human desires and humanity in general. Akin's never heavy-handed; he never lets politics dictate his story. He lets it speak for itself. That is marvelous.
8/10
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