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Netflix has ventured quite deep into the European market with many new entries, like Faraway, a multi-lingual European romantic comedy that has many things to say.
Released on International Women's Day 2023, Faraway may not be every woman's story, but its protagonist could very well be every woman's role model for chasing a happier life because there is always scope to be happier.
The primarily German-language film by Vanessa Jopp, well known for her work in The Space Between Lines, follows Zeynep Altin (Naomi Krauss) who seeks an adventure after getting tired of being pushed around by the people in her life.
The liberating film had plenty of funny moments, a lot of engaging content, and a beating heart that made it quite special. If it lacked lessons to leave behind, Faraway made up for it with the desire to stand true to its purpose.
Faraway stars Naomi Krauss as Zeynep Altin, Goran Bogdan as Josip Cega, Adnan Maral as Ilyas Altin, Bahar Balci as Fia Altin, Artjom Gilz as Conrad, and Davor Tomic as Drazen Cega.
Faraway review: The predictable tale of discovery will leave behind a sense of fulfillment
If we were to overanalyze things, there would be plenty of flaws that predominantly surround this multi-lingual flick about a woman leaving behind her home and family to take a break after her mother's demise. But the core thing that matters more than any of it is how good an aftertaste it leaves behind.
Beginning with an overly crowded and eerily imbalanced set of frames, the film is quite engaging from the start. A lot of this is because of the ever-shining Naomi Krauss, who seems to be cut out for this particular role. Her daughter, portrayed by Bahar Balci, was also elegant on the screen from the beginning.
The crisis is introduced early in the runtime when Ilyas is caught by Zeynep engrossed in a conversation with a beautiful young girl, in the process missing her mother's funeral. Everything from there on is quite a subtle comedy fest with lots of undertones of self-discovery.
As soon as Zeynep finds herself on the beautiful Croatian island and wakes up to a sloppy stranger named Josip Cega, both beautiful and hilarious things start.
Of course, things get quite predictable with Josip's introduction, a man who has been living in the house all his life because no one asked him to move out yet. Yet, it is quite engaging to dive into this unknown world with Zeynep and discover womanhood and adventure once again at a later age.
The entire film is so well shot that it could easily remove some of its latent flaws with visual splendor. The beautiful Croatian Islands and the simple but flavorful sea made for excellent visual fodder. It was also aided by the small-town feel of Zeynep's adventures.
While not the most perfect European film out there, Faraway does serve its purpose well and is honest to the core. It is completely worth watching for anyone who is looking for a little laughter, a little warmth, or a little distraction.
Hopefully, it manages to gain the recognition it deserves.
Faraway is now streaming on Netflix.
