This is the first film directed by Ozpetek, an Italian director of Turkish origin, and it contains all the recurrent issues of his later work. The movie focuses on Francesco, a young architect, on how his life changes for the better, when he is forced to leave Rome to go to Istanbul. There he finds a completely different way to relate to work and other people, he discovers the importance of value such as solidarity, understanding and family. In the latest part the film have a twist, as long as Francesco's wife Marta comes to Istanbul to make him sign the divorce papers. The man is forced to come to term with his older life. The finale comes unexpected, Francesco is killed (we don't know why, probably 'cos he refuses to sell the hamam) and Marta, instead of leaving, takes over the hamam.This film is about happiness and the comparison of two ways of life. On one hand we have a western country, where people have all the comforts they need, but they are just too busy to enjoy life and other people around them. On the other there is Istanbul, with its slowness and the warmth of its people, who, even if they are poor, seem much more serene. There are also Ozpetek's recurrent themes, the most important are: 1- the gay character. this director always deals with the topic of homosexuality (being gay himself), even if in this film this is just a collateral issue. In Istanbul Francesco becomes lover of the son of the Hamam caretaker. But this is just a small part of th his growth and their relationship is more suggested than represented. This becomes clear when he finally speaks with his wife about their relationship in Italy, their problem was that they were two stress workaholic and unhappy people, not that he was gay (he doesn't seem to consider himself so); 2- the concept of alternative family, family is a network of people and feelings that support you and make you feel good. He found a family in Turkey living with the Hamam caretaker's family, but he hasn't any in Italy (although being married); 3- food as a metaphor of the joy of staying together, as a tool to welcome other people and strengthen relationships with them (hospitality is an important concept in southern cultures). All these themes are just hinted in this movie, but they are fully developed in "Le fate ignoranti", probably his masterpiece. Even if immature, I love this film and here you are 3 reasons why it's worth seeing: 1- the topic is interesting and well developed 2- Istanbul is well portrayed in a very non-touristic way3-(for girls) Alessandro Gasman is so handsome in this film

Being born in Istanbul and having lived most of my life there, I was very much carried away with the subtle Istanbul spirit of the movie. Very emotional, and very delicate... The old Istanbul that is being lost or driven away by the commercialization of evrything else is revived in a very special manner in this movie.It is a shame though that in the VHS the movies that are previewed are putting this movie into a very wrong shallow category.

I like a movie that has a distinct climax, yet is easy to overlook or perhaps miss altogether. The climax of Hamam is when Francesco hands his wife the letters from his aunt and asks that she send them back when she's finished reading them. It is a seemingly small, inconsequential gesture -- but an act of conviction that describes a person's inner workings far more than could ever be achieved with an abundance of words. It is truly a beautiful moment -- one of many -- and a reason this is a film worth viewing.

Visually interesting and an engaging-enough plot but the characters failed to arouse any emotion. Towards the end of the movie we learn that someone wanted to name their baby after Francesco and I asked myself why. He does nothing in the movie except brood and read his aunt's letters and for some reason everyone who meets him in Turkey seems to think he's Mr Charisma. All I can say is they obviously don't get out much.