Monday Morning Maybe

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Poster for Distant

Distant

Seen it?

2002 | 106 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (87% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 46 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Turkish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

A young man from rural Turkey arrives in Istanbul with dreams of working on a ship and stays with a cousin while he searches for work. Over time, the former’s struggles to find employment and the latter’s troubles and disappointments strain their relationship and living situation.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.1 out of 10

  • AwardsWeak

    Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $767K worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 14K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

  • Muzaffer ÖzdemirMahmut
  • Mehmet Emin ToprakYusuf
  • Zuhal GencerNazan (as Zuhal Gencer Erkaya)
  • Nazan KesalLover (as Nazan Kırılmış)
  • Feridun KoçJanitor
  • Fatma CeylanMother
  • Ebru CeylanWoman (as Ebru Yapıcı)
  • Bahattin Serter
  • Nazlı Aydın
  • Engin Hepsev