THREE MONKEYS — CANNES 2008

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On first blush, a strong contender for the Palme d’Or, Turkish director/co-writer Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s drama is about a father, mother, and son caught in a web of corruption, betrayal, and murder.

Ceylan makes thoughtful use of its see no, hear no, speak no evil, metaphor.

Troubles begin when Servet (Ercan Kesal), an ambitious politician kills a pedestrian at night with his car and bribes his regular driver Eyup (played by popular Turkish folk singer Yavuz Bingol) to take responsibility and serve the nine-month jail sentence that comes with it.

Eyup’s lazy teenage son Ismael (Ahmet Rifat Sungar) talks his mother Hacer (Hatice Aslan) into requesting an advance on the bribe from Servet, and the family spirals down a self-perpetrating path of depravity.

This sparsely-told story speaks volumes with a cinematic poetry that you would expect to find in Cannes.

Stunner.

Not Rated. 109 mins.