Did Hande Erçel's 'Chasing the Wind' Make Hearts Flutter?

Netflix's latest Turkish movie ‘Chasing the Wind’ captured people’s hearts with its gorgeous lead couple and stunning locations, but does it deliver with its romance?

Asli Monsoy is workaholic who will do anything to save her family’s business from going bankrupt, even if it means travelling Çeşme to convince the laid-back surfer Ege Yazici to allow the development of a resort on their property.

Hande Erçel and Barış Arduç make a very good-looking couple and have wonderful chemistry, however the story does not allow the proper development of their romance.

The movie runs for 1 hour and 36 minutes, featuring the right kind of romantic tropes, however it does not provide a nuanced exploration of the emotional depth of Asli and Ege’s romance. Writer Ceylan Naz Baycan should have given her characters more depth and her story more complications to help it to drive its point home.

The film is shot in some stunning locations across Çeşme and Izmir, complementing the story beautifully. Director of Photography Muratcan Gökçe has created some amazing shots, capturing the sunny and Mediterranean aesthetic of the locations perfectly, which create a perfect atmosphere for Asli and Ege’s romance to flourish. The warm and beachy vibes are a stark contrast to Asli’s tough city life, which are featured in some dull sequences in the company’s office.

Oguz Kaplangi and Serkan Celikoz’s music for the film is light-hearted, perfectly complementing the Asli’s short holiday and heightening the beauty of the scenic shots in the film.

As mentioned before, Erçel adds to beauty of the film with her amazing chemistry with Arduç. However her character goes through a journey of her own, which is beautifully reflected with her wardrobe. In the city and when she first arrives in Çeşme, Asli wears all black looks and stilettos, portraying the city girl aesthetic perfectly.

As her stay progresses, her wardrobe features lighter colors including white, brown, and blue, symbolizing Asli’s change in personality and a shift in emotions. Abdullah Kara and Ezgi Oter are to be credited with this simple, but effective styling, which complements the story.

Although, ‘Chasing the Wind’ is a treat for the eyes with its beautiful lead couple and magnificent locations, it fails to deliver a emotionally nuanced romance and what is a romantic movie without that?