A man’s mommy issues should never be underestimated

This time Irmak takes on a more serious tone, one filled with psychological terror and a dark shade of comedy. Before moving on, it's important to point out something about Irmak, despite his overbearing manifestation and self-acclaimed auteurship, which oozes out of all his movies (for example, even the credits start with the words “from Çağan Irmak” -- for a minute you think the guy is Coppola), the man is probably the most adept craftsman in contemporary Turkish cinema.

So, welcome to Egemen's (Erdem Akakçe) twisted world. He's 35, he's single, he works at a prestigious ad agency as an office boy, but he still lives with his mother. If mother Gülseren (Meral Çetinkaya) was a normal human being, all would seem typical in this scenario; however, the woman is a complete nut job, or scientifically, we could call her a paranoid schizophrenic. Her life centers on that of Egemen, she never leaves their moldy old house, where she waits for him in apprehension, she can't stand the presence of strangers (even if it's the new water delivery boy) and she has frequent fits of paranoia. You're going to think, what can the poor man do, it's his mother after all, even though she has turned his life into a living hell. But her precious son is not an angel either; he's so fed up with his mother that he plays little psychological games to infuriate her further.

The only piece of sanity that Egemen can experience is at the advertising agency he works for, and it says a lot about a man's condition if he finds tranquility at an advertising agency of all places. The few people he engages in genuine communication with are the bouncy secretary, Banu (Pınar Töre), and the all-knowing pothead security guard, Ramiz (Rıza Akın), but his real affections lie with Umay (Derya Alabora), the tough and glamorous middle-aged boss of the company.

Perhaps Umay is the exact kind of mother figure that Egemen yearns for; she is in control and calm and generous -- the opposite of his own mother. But when Freud works his charms, Egemen's interest in Umay develops into something of a desperate crush and events come to the point of turning a tad sour. And, of course, when the world turns its back on you, who else will you go back to but mommy, whether for comfort or for retribution? And eventually, through one of the most disturbing flashback sequences, we find out how Gülseren turned out to be the mental case she is and the true nature of the relationship between mother and son.

There are some remarkable performances in this film, firstly that of Çetinkaya as Gülseren; despite a whole lot of scenes meshed with over-the-top dialogue, she manages to pull off this difficult role with finesse. Along with Akakçe, they create a deeply disconcerting and powerful synergy that manages to carry the story throughout the film's 106 minutes. Akakçe is especially noteworthy; his portrayal of Egemen's loneliness and desperation creates a form of heartfelt empathy in the viewer. You cannot miss the scene where he is left all by himself in the advertising firm, imitating his high-brow colleagues in the meeting room. Alabora carefully balances the tough business-woman type with a touch of humanity rare in those in Umay's line of work, and newcomer Töre's vivacity adds a comic element that lightens up this much too heavy film.

The problem with “In Darkness,” however, is in the film's structure. While creating an incredibly jolting climax, leaving the most important flashback sequence -- which is in fact the base of the whole film -- to the endS traps the viewer's emotional needs into an inescapable corner and leaves no breathing room for the psyche. It makes one wonder whether this is just an easy way of telling a story rather than the best way, since by the time we watch the flashback, we have no choice but to think: “Oh, this is why everything is so messed up in their lives! Oh, poor souls, let's just feel sorry for them and understand them without any questions.”