You Know Him (2020) User Reviews

Kesal's First Touch as a Director

[sputniktenterk · 6/10 · 25 April 2021]

Turkish audience know Ercan Kesal from his semi- autobiographic works (novellas, scenarios etc.). He often uses his past deliciously. For example, as a co-scenario writer in Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, his deductions about Anatolian villagers were all his real observations when he was a young MD. This time, in his first experience for directing, he takes us his candidacy for being a mayor in the local elections in 2004 (2018, in the movie).

You Know Him was a bit mockumentariesque, but I think they could push its limits to the end for this genre. Yeah, focusing one day of the Mr. Güner in the election campaign was nice choice. But they could do it like Birdman in a single plan. They could add a little bit dramatical elements or interesting events on that day.

Side-roles were brilliant, especially ex-wife and the secretary). Maybe they could give the secretary (Selin Yeninci, definitely accomplished actress) more and more pragmatic duties in the election campaign.

I enjoyed the movie, good start. Thanks for all of them.

We laugh to our situation instead of crying...

[yesariden · 8/10 · 4 July 2021]

In Turkey, the politics was always a playing area for rural people as the main part of voters although they live in cities were from rural families. Kesal expose this situation with an educated doctor who fights for a candidate in this broken system. This is an excellent movie and Kesal is a good artist...

A Stunning Work; Attentive Scenes, Geniously Vieved Details and Awesome Acting Performances!!!

[gokselll · 9/10 · 18 September 2020]

Ercan Kesal, within his first feature-length experience as a director, gifts an excellent movie. This movie is a powerfull satire on political election system with a one day portrait of a doctor who executes a campaign in order to be a candidate mayor.

A very very attentive scenario and cinematography present abused human relations in political area which has been full of patriarchal domination and clientelism.

Absolutely must be seen!

Documentary Like

[kursatozgurozer · 9/10 · 8 May 2021]

This could be watched as a documentary as well, explains so much about Turkish society and politics.

Very powerful, very good, very realistic.

[olcare · 9/10 · 19 February 2023]

Besides being the strongest Turkish film I have watched in recent years, it was one of the best political criticism movies. Ercan Kesal did a fantastic job as an actor, director, and screenwriter, especially as an actor.

The best part of the film was its naturalness; every scene was natural and powerful, and every character was excessively well-selected, which made it so powerful. The adaptation of the screenplay by Ercan Kesal also made the film more cohesive.

In fact, the film didn't have a definite ending; it showed that everything continues in this evil. I don't know how today's situation could be summarized any better.

There is a scene in the film that I particularly liked. I think it summarized everything. They transparently showed that nobody worked on the candidate's presentation slide.

In short, every frame was very realistic, which made the film extremely successful in my opinion. If we had to criticize something, it would be my subjective expectation of minor references to the main character's past, which would have made it more profound in my eyes, but it is definitely not a flaw. It was superb, and everyone must watch it.