‘Miracle in Cell No 7’ is hard to watch. Not because it is bad but rather that it is so delicately written that it tugs at your heartstrings and keeps you on the edge of your seat – bombarding you with a range of emotions you will find hard to avoid.
The first 20 minutes of the film already introduces you to so much hurt, that at a point you’re only watching to see if things will turn out OK for everyone. It’s a dream for those who love to have a good cry and a good smile, while consuming a relatable story.
This 2019 Turkish film, ‘7 Kogustaki Mucize’, and remade from a 2013 South Korean comedy/drama tells the story of a mentally handicapped shepherd named Mehmet or Memo, who is wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death.
The Netflix movie stars Turkish actors Aras Bulut I˙ynemli as Memo and Nisa Sofiya Aksongur as his young daughter Ova. Both give stellar and convincing portrayals of a father and daughter who would go to the ends of the earth for each other. The whole film is in Turkish with English subtitles available.
While locked away in cell seven of the prison, Memo’s carefree personality and child-like temperament win the hearts of his fellow cellmates, who first take a dislike to him, then grow fond of him.
Memo’s lack of fully understanding the situation around him has him showing us all that sometimes ignorance might truly be bliss. Despite the mistreatment, the physical violence and the verbal abuse, Memo is still the same caring, loving and giving man who gives his sheep ‘people names’ and goes out of his way to make his small daughter Ova smile.
Early on in the film, Memo’s grandmother and the caretaker of them both, explains to Ova that her father is the same age as her. Which gives us an even better insight into their strange but wonderful bond.
The film is a bit long, and at some point the number of sad things that can happen to someone gets a bit overwhelming and even hard to connect to, but overall it’s a tale you’ll want to sit through and see to the end, even if there isn’t much appeal beyond its tear-jerking storytelling.
The cinematography is gentle and beautiful. Most scenes have very little contrasting colours, offering a glimpse into the unremarkable lives they all live, plagued by dogma. Other moments with Memo are so colour saturated and fun, showing us how bright and exciting the world is through his eyes.
Perhaps what the movie is telling us is that having a positive attitude and worldview can get one far and maybe we should all be a bit like Memo.
– annehambuda@gmail.com or @anne_hambuda on social media.
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