Stream It Or Skip It: ‘One-Way to Tomorrow’ on Netflix, a Turkish Talk-Drama About Two People on a Train

Netflix’s One-Way to Tomorrow (Yarina Tek Bilet) is a Turkish film that spends most of its time in a cramped train compartment with two people, exploring every cranny of its self-imposed thematic limitations — which is a wordy way of saying it’s all about its own wordiness. Miss Universe Turkey 2014 Dilan Cicek Deniz and Metin Akdulger of Turkish Netflix series The Gift are the primary participants in this 90-odd-minute conversation, which had better be about more than just the weather and football.

ONE-WAY TO TOMORROW: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Leyla (Deniz) is in Ali’s (Adkulger) seat. He kind of awkwardly points it out, and she moves, and he kind of awkwardly asks to see her ticket, and she doesn’t share, and he kind of awkwardly ends up vouching for her after the conductor stops by and rips the lid off her ruse: She doesn’t have a ticket. Ali actually has all four tickets for the compartment, but his three friends couldn’t make it, so he kindly — and yes, kind of awkwardly — gives her an unused seat for the 14-hour trip from Ankara to Izmir. Then Leyla pukes, because she was trying not to ride facing backwards, but did it anyway, so Ali wouldn’t have to ride facing backwards, and now they’re both paying for it.

It starts poorly, is what I’m trying to say here. Only 13.7 more hours to go! Don’t worry, it gets better, eventually. Ali self-identifies as a curious type, so he likes to ask questions, some of which are a bit grating, but he and Leyla get through it. She’s lost her luggage save for her treasured 89-year-old violin. He’s a lawyer with a heart condition. Coincidentally, they’re both heading to Izmir to attend a wedding. They head to the dining car for coffee, and he orders for her — coffee with milk. She bristles. He insists she’s the type who’d take her coffee that way; she’s defensive, and neither confirms nor denies his assumption. Such is their dynamic.

Things, stuff and whatnot progress during the overnight trip, sometimes predictably, sometimes less so, for better or for worse. They’ll be goofy, they’ll be serious; there will be music; there will be a bit of drunkenness. The gamut of emotions will be run. They will reveal more of themselves in teensy morsels and big chunks. What happens next you may see coming, but I will neither confirm nor deny your assumptions.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy is a major touchstone for this talky Turkish rom-drama.

Performance Worth Watching: Both performances are strong because the film’s success rests wholly on their shoulders. But Deniz offers more raw charisma, and stands out with her ability to render her character elusive and complicated.

Memorable Dialogue: Leyla’s wisdom: “Someone with only a hammer in their hand sees everything like a nail.”

Sex and Skin: I feel like confirming the existence of such may spoil the film and its simmering romantic tension, but yes, it does — and it’s a bit steamy, and soundtracked by terrible music — although movies often indulge things like dreams, fantasies, flashbacks and the like.

Our Take: So Ali is the person next to you on the [mode of transportation] who insists on striking up a conversation. Leyla is the one who would be fine saying nothing at all for 14 hours. Which one are you? And which one would you rather push out the window of a moving [mode of transportation]?

One-Way to Tomorrow isn’t quite this thought experiment, but it certainly comes to mind. No, the movie is more destiny working its wonders, or the occasionally serendipitous nature of the universe, guiding two people along the same course even if they’re sometimes facing in different directions and/or vomiting because of it.

The movie indulges some contrivances that separate it from the more reflective themes of Linklater’s Before films, but that doesn’t necessarily derail the choo-choo. The dialogue is smartly composed without being showy or overwritten, and Deniz and Akdulger are up to the task of carrying a talky-talky movie. Ozan Aciktan’s direction is assured and at times elegant, although his overreliance on musical interludes tends to disrupt the narrative flow. As for whether or not you’ll buy the ending — well, I don’t know if the chemistry Deniz and Akdulger kindle throughout logically arrives at that narrative destination, but it’s not dissatisfying. Let’s just say you won’t be mad that you watched it.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Here, have a middling recommendation for One-Way to Tomorrow: It’s a moderately engrossing drama. And it’ll have us believing in Deniz’s ability to carry a movie.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.

Stream One-Way to Tomorrow on Netflix