The Things You Kill, directed by Alireza Khatami and now streaming on Prime Video, is a film that requires viewers to engage deeply from its very first scene. Missing even a moment risks losing the thread of its intricate story, which unfolds like a Christopher Nolan style film, weaving mystery and emotional tension throughout.
Plot Overview: A Professor’s Quest for Truth Amid Personal Struggles
The film follows Ekin Koç as a university professor who teaches translation on the side, a subject facing removal from the curriculum. Alongside his academic challenges, he and his wife grapple with the painful inability to have children, trying to understand who among them might bear the cause. Against this backdrop, the professor’s mother dies under suspicious circumstances, prompting him to investigate his family deeply.
As the professor begins questioning relatives, the sudden arrival of a mysterious gardener seeking work adds a new layer of intrigue. This character shifts the film’s tone, enhancing its complexity and evoking comparisons beyond Nolan to filmmakers like Michelangelo Antonioni and Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
Minimalist Style and Atmospheric Cinematography Enhance the Narrative
Khatami adopts a restrained and deliberate visual style, reminiscent of Middle Eastern cinema, emphasizing medium and wide shots with rare close-ups. The performances from the cast, including Hazar Ergüçlü and Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, are subtle and natural, grounding the story’s emotional weight.
Bartosz Swiniarski’s cinematography relies on muted color palettes and dim indoor lighting, creating a quiet but persistent discomfort that lingers even in bright outdoor scenes. The presence of the gardener triggers an unsettling atmosphere, slowly deepening the film’s enigmatic and suspenseful mood until reaching a startling conclusion.
An Open-Ended Mystery That Challenges Viewer Interpretation
The film avoids straightforward explanations, inviting audiences to piece together the puzzle themselves. Its nonlinear narrative raises questions about identity, time, and truth, blurring the lines between genres. Is it a family drama, a mystery, or a psychological thriller? The Things You Kill defies simple categorization, reflecting a complex human story open to individual interpretation.
Creative Forces, Cast, and Acknowledged Inspirations
Alireza Khatami’s direction echoes the work of great filmmakers known for crafting enigmatic experiences—such as Christopher Nolan, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, and contemporaries like Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Contributors include actors Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, and Ercan Kesal.
The film has earned a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, recognized for its intense and contemplative storytelling that challenges audiences to remain actively engaged throughout its runtime.
