When I watched the Turkish-language movie In Good Hands on Netflix, I felt myself being pulled out of the film thanks to its predictable storyline, which is a story we’ve seen 100 times before. A dying mom and her search for the perfect person to look after her son after she’s gone. What threw me off about In Good Hands was the small twist in the third act of the film, which totally felt tacked on rather than a well-thought-out plan. Like all those who loved this movie, I too appreciated it, thanks to the child actor Mert Ege Ak, who breathes life into Can, the young boy who is soon going to learn a lot of grown-up things about life. Can is not your average child. His annoyance level is particularly high, and not everyone can appreciate such a child, never mind actually look after him. However, (spoiler alert for In Good Hands), it only makes sense that he has an equal opponent in his biological father. In In Good Hands 2, we see Firat and Can navigate a rocky road of grief and acceptance on shaky bicycles.
For the most part, if you watch parts 1 and 2 in parallel, it will almost look like the same thing, gender-reversed, for the first 50-odd minutes. The easter eggs are plentiful, and the film begins with a humorous take on death and then moves on to Fatos, a resident Cupid, suggesting that Firat should find a partner, just as she suggested for Melisa. The story then shifts gears ever so slightly, so we can look forward to a happy ending for Can and Firat. In Good Hands 2 sees the entry of Melisa Aslı Pamuk as Sezen, Firat’s new love interest. Not only is she stunning to look at and dressed impeccably, but she also brings this character to life in the most pleasing manner, keeping us engaged throughout. This movie, just like the previous one, is quite predictable; there’s nothing new to see here; however, watching Can and Firat struggling to find common ground without Melisa adds a layer of sincerity to the film, which somehow makes it more watchable than the previous installment.
Apart from grief and growing up, the film also addresses a bunch of small subjects about kids, parenting, and more that keep the movie engaging and fun.In Good Hands 2 is both more humorous and more emotional than the first part. In all honesty, all the jokes in the first film fell flat for me; however, In Good Hands 2 did put a smile on my face more than once. The chemistry between Mert Ege Ak (Can) and Kaan Urgancıoğlu (Firat) is more amusing and appealing in this film than in the previous. What I don’t understand about these films is how quickly things unfold. Specifically, how easy it is to convince someone that they like you enough to accept your kid within two meetings? This baffled me in the first part, too. Additionally, this film also has a twist in the latter half, which almost butchered the whole experience for me; however, by this point, you see it coming a mile away. Still, it’s not forgiven. I don’t think this film needed a twist, either.
I love that In Good Hands 2 doesn’t allow us to forget Melisa, as much as it helps us move on from her with the characters of the film. By move on, of course, I mean, get over her death. The film takes place a year after Melisa’s death, and we’re tending to fresh wounds here. Watching the film made me realize that the first part was simply a set-up for a better film to come. I guess we could’ve done without the first film to enjoy In Good Hands 2 as well, and personally, I think you could watch it after just reading a synopsis of the first one because, apart from the fact that Firat didn’t know of Can’s existence until Melisa learned she was dying, there’s not much more of a background check you need to understand what’s happening in the film.
The pacing is decent, except for, of course, the bit I mentioned earlier, and In Good Hands 2 is a lighthearted film that you can watch without exhausting your brain If Part 1 was a melodrama, Part 2 is just slightly more of a dramedy. I suppose the franchise is quite a cluster of family films from a country that is popular on the TV side of things. Everyone knows a couple of Turkish dramas, but I’m not sure I’ve heard enough about their films, and this could be a nice stepping stone for something simple yet inviting. What makes the films worth watching is the layers each character has that make them feel like real people, rather than characters in a forgettable film. So, despite the plots being quite basic and predictable, the film feels unique thanks to its protagonists.
If, like me, you found In Good Hands a boring mishmash of genre tropes and are skeptical about seeing the second part, I’d say give it a go anyway because it might surprise you. If you don’t care for these characters at all and have no interest in early parenting, I’d say skip this film. If you’re simply looking for something to play in the background on a troubling day, then I’d say In Good Hands 2 is a good bet because basic common sense will have you cruising through this film. If obnoxious kids don’t make you roll your eyes and instead have you go, “Aww, how cute,” then In Good Hands 2 is the perfect film for you, because Can is the epitome of obnoxiously adorable. I think it is an average film that could’ve been better with some adjustments in the plot from the first part itself. If you go in telling yourself you’re not watching this film for an extraordinary experience, you won’t be setting yourself up for disappointment. I’d give the film between 2.5 and 3 stars.