Merve Kült

In 2024, continuing my 1000-movie plan!

Hello everyone, I’m Yiyi! Today, I’m recommending the 26th movie from my list: Do Yourself Proud .

“If you don’t take the first step, you’ll just keep spinning in place.”

“If you don’t take the first step, you’ll just keep spinning in place.”

“If you don’t take the first step, you’ll just keep spinning in place.”

If you’re feeling lost right now, I suggest reading this line from the film three times!

This line really resonated with me. I’m curious how others feel when they read it?

I once heard a famous teacher say, "If a book has one line that’s useful to you, then that book has fulfilled its value."

The same applies to movies. Some films may not have high ratings on certain platforms, and their plots might be pretty basic, but if there’s a particular scene or line that moves me and gives me insight, then the value of watching that film has been realized.

Do Yourself Proud is a Turkish movie, and I think this is the first Turkish film I’ve watched!

As for the plot, as someone who’s seen countless domestic dramas, the standard plots of those dramas don’t impress me much—they’re just the typical "rich CEO falls for me" storylines. But what made this film stand out to me, and why I spent time watching it, are the following reasons:

1. The protagonist’s fashion is so appealing.

The female lead is quirky, lively, and adorable. Her attitude is super optimistic.

Most importantly, her fashion sense is really attractive. Guys love watching beautiful girls with great style, and girls feel the same way—it’s eye-catching and just looks great.

The male lead isn’t bad either! He’s into Chinese culture, which is another reason to recommend him.

2. The protagonist’s confidence is inspiring.

Setting aside the age-old debate about whether attractive women have an advantage in the workplace, they also tend to have many more enemies. With enemies come more obstacles.

She starts as a rookie in her career and gradually becomes the person she aspired to be. I always see the word "optimism" when I look at the female lead. No matter what she encounters, she always wears a charming smile, which is healing and motivating.

I really like her attitude toward work—once she sets a goal, she sticks to it without wavering. This is something I can learn from and apply to my own life.

3. The inspiring quotes in the film.

The female lead’s Instagram tagline is "Be yourself."

"Whoever you are, always be yourself."

"If you don’t take the first step, you’ll just keep spinning in place."

"There are plenty of opportunities in life; what’s missing is the courage to be yourself."

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

"I admit I don’t like working. Give creativity and freedom back to humanity."

"Be smart—treat the workplace like a playground, and don’t let others’ opinions easily influence you."

"Don’t care about what others think; listen to your own voice and find your inner strength."

"If I had simply followed the competition, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today."

"In life, no one can stop you from doing what you want; difficulties will only make you stronger."

I have to say, the female lead is a vibrant, energetic girl. Sometimes, this kind of spirit is really needed in the workplace. Don’t let others influence you—be yourself and make yourself happy!

I absolutely love her dopamine colors!

Highly recommend this to all office workers!

On her first day of the interview, Maf looked like a child who had stolen her parent’s clothes—green top, red headphones, and blue pants. This was exactly the trending dopamine dressing style.

Her mother, once a respected journalist, couldn’t influence her daughter’s unique style.

A CEO named Anas watches them from below their apartment every day, observing their every move. Seeing them happy, he decides to buy the building and have them move out.

During her interview, Maf openly expresses her dislike for capitalism. She nervously babbles, and, unsurprisingly, fails the interview. As a creative fashion designer, she clearly didn't manage to sell herself well.

Feeling dejected, she happens to see her boyfriend at a café, passionately kissing another woman. Maf confronts him, reminding him that he’s cheating. He responds by telling her, "Actually, you’re the mistress."

After a day filled with heartbreak, she returns home, where everyone is downcast. Maf asks, "Did someone die?"

She jokingly tells her mother, "Your bad news can’t compete with mine, don’t steal my spotlight."

But everyone looks upset. It turns out her father is selling the house, and her parents have been divorced for years. Maf shakes her mother, asking, "How could he kick me out? Isn’t my name on the house? I’ve lived here for 15 years."

Her mother, who hasn’t worked in years, has almost exhausted her retirement funds. Maf now carries a heavy burden and desperately needs a job.

She goes to see her friends that evening, only to be pranked by them. While confused from the shock of electricity, her friends slap her a few times to snap her out of it.

Her friends are planning to start a business—a dating app. Maf comes up with the brilliant idea that people could wear masks to find their soulmates! Her friends cheer and love the idea.

She then interviews at a fashion company for a designer position. The company uses a "like" system, where the number of likes determines whether you pass the interview.

It’s Maf’s first serious job hunt, and she starts to learn how to say things she doesn’t believe.

When asked why she’s interested in fashion, Maf answers, "Everyone can showcase their style through clothing. Fashion is a way of expressing oneself."

Her like count rises, boosting her confidence. But the interviewer, unsatisfied, says, "You care about style, but I care about profit."

So, Maf changes her answer, saying, "Money is the most important thing. I’m here to make money."

Her likes drop to zero. It turns out that being honest is unpopular, while lying gets approval.

She then goes to another company where the boss is pleased with her and gives her a special job—ironing clothes. Maf walks out, saying she applied for a designer role, not a janitorial one.

Anas, seeking an uplifting company, stumbles upon Maf and her friends’ startup. He cancels all his meetings to attend their pitch.

Maf and her friends are thrilled and prepare for the presentation.

Maf, who always dresses according to her own preferences, doesn’t care about others' stares. Sometimes, she even receives compliments from strangers, who say, "If I could dress like you, I’d soar."

On the day of the pitch, Maf accidentally bumps into Anas at the café. She angrily calls him a "self-centered jerk" who only cares about his shoes.

When coffee spills on her white pants, she gets the idea to spread the stain and head to the presentation.

When she sees Anas, she quickly apologizes. She had once called herself a creative genius but now wants to wear a mask.

She takes the stage, boldly proclaiming their slogan: "Those who wear masks are the most honest!"

They believe that people who wear masks are more willing to share their darkest fears and secrets.

After Maf finishes, Anas applauds them and asks them to prepare a beta version.

Anas invites Maf to work at his company, telling her she has a unique vision. Maf quickly asks, "Can I get an advance on my salary?"

Anas’s employees are puzzled. "Is the boss out of his mind?"

Anas thinks their pitch is absurd and knows that no one would wear a mask in a video call to find a soulmate. There are hundreds of similar apps.

One employee cautiously asks, "Then why invest?"

Anas responds, "Can’t I just have some fun? Let’s mess with her and make her cry."

Why is Anas treating Maf this way? Why is this CEO acting so domineering?

Maf has trouble getting up in the morning, so her mother splashes her with water to wake her up. On her first day at work, she’s warned that if she’s late again, she’ll be fired.

Her workload piles up, and everything she does is under Anas's watchful eye.

When she’s happy, he gets angry and tries different ways to torment her. But no matter what, Maf stays happy.

Maf works hard during the day, plays with her friends at night, and posts selfies on social media. Her followers grow, and she becomes a representative of the non-mainstream. Occasionally, people even recognize her.

One day, Anas sees her playing on her phone and plans to scold her publicly. But she stands up and tells him his suit is tacky, advising him to have it custom-made instead of buying ready-made.

She isn’t embarrassed; Anas is the one who feels awkward.

Anas listens to her advice and gets a custom-made suit. Don’t ask why—just know it’s because he’s in love.

They often chat while wearing masks. Even though they’re masked, Maf still recognizes him because the buttons on his suit gave him away.

Anas, still in disguise, encourages Maf to take the first step and share her creative ideas. He helps her bring them to life in his own way.

Anas is conflicted—he wants to encourage her while wearing the mask, but when he sees the fearless Maf without the mask, he feels joy. However, his initial goal was to see her cry!

He came for revenge because Maf’s mother had once caused his father to end up homeless. The apartment Maf lives in was once his childhood home, and she now occupies his old room.

Maf’s mother confronts him, throwing evidence at him, and tells him, "Your father once wrote me love letters."

On a stormy, power-outage night, Anas and Maf naturally walk hand in hand, realizing they both love each other.

Anas spent his whole life lying for an apartment. After becoming a CEO, he wanted revenge, but he fell in love with Maf and didn’t know what to do. Confused, he runs away.

On a mountaintop, Anas talks with a Chinese sage and has an epiphany.

Although this is a Turkish film, you’ll be able to understand it, as there are parts in Chinese.

Maf’s family is packing to move, but they’re suddenly told they don’t have to leave anymore because Anas changed his mind.

Anas turns to Maf and says, "Let me take off my mask in front of you."

Maf nods: "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Film lovers sometimes really enjoy deeper works, where the exploration of human nature and the exposure and portrayal of reality seem to be the strength of cinema as an art form, a trait that has existed since its inception. I still remember the scene in Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator, where the Jewish people's collective migration is depicted, each person's facial expression carved with a raw and delicate pain.

However, even those who favor profound films don't always choose the same type or style of movie. Each moment in our lives gives us a different mindset, and our mood at the time makes the movie we need change. For example, right now, after being tortured by my PhD thesis and having gone through a sort of rebirth, the last thing I want to encounter is a deep, weighty masterpiece.

This small film is perfect for someone going through a struggle, because it doesn't require you to open your heart to it. It's light, lively, and even shallowly cute and funny. It doesn't pose any questions or force answers upon you; it just freely, lightly explores "being yourself"—the luxury of youth. You can point out many forced plot devices or issues with emotional development, but you can't deny that it is genuinely funny at times, especially the part with the male lead training with the monk in China—it was hilarious. Maybe my sense of humor has become simpler. But for someone who's gone through complex life and emotional experiences, this direct, non-complicated, and unburdened love story model is really appreciated. Though it might feel unrealistic, who knows? Maybe Turkish people are really just that straightforward, without unnecessary emotional baggage.

Compared to the female lead, the film's most successful aspect lies in the portrayal of the surrounding characters, done lightly but with enough depth. Especially the portrayal of the female lead’s mother—it’s quite spot on. Who wouldn’t want such a "tiger mom"? It's a very healing film. The song inserted in the middle and later parts of the film is also worth listening to—quite charming. At first, not knowing it was a Turkish film, I was puzzled. It definitely felt Southern European, but it wasn't Italy or Spain, as I could hear the Spanish language influence. Where was it from? After researching, I found out it was Turkish! And then, seeing the handsome male lead, I realized—it was so "Turkish," haha!

The First Rule of Being Yourself: Start with "I" and block out the noise.

When choosing a movie, don't let other people's "bad reviews" sway you. If you're interested, just watch it. Overthinking only dulls your curiosity. The moment you start chasing "what's right" too much, your desire to explore fades away. Let the quiet ones sing their songs loudly, even if it's in silence.

The Second Rule of Being Yourself: Be real, sincere, and true to your nature.

Face your own needs honestly and treat others' feelings with sincerity. Show your true self, and you'll find the right people and the right things. Time will naturally eliminate those who don't belong in your life.

The Third Rule of Being Yourself: Compare yourself vertically and give yourself positive feedback.

Genetic inequalities cause us to lose confidence in horizontal comparisons, making us feel hopeless. But life has other ways to evaluate progress! Compare yourself to your past self, and give yourself positive feedback. You’re moving toward the version of yourself that you hope to be.