Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Ngo The Chau and Buket Alakuş, Netflix’s ‘She Said Maybe’ is a romantic comedy film about Mavi, a German architect who learns that she is a part of Turkish nobility. Still not ready to leave her past behind, Mavi finds herself in a tight spot somewhere between the traditional, familiar structures of her grandmother, Yadigar Bilgin, and the romantic relationship she has with Can, an intern at a law firm. Class conflict defines their love story from thereon out, as the protagonist slowly comes to acknowledge the lack of clarity she has in her life. Although Can attempts to propose to his partner at the very beginning of the story, things don’t go quite as planned, leaving him desperate for another chance. The complications that build up in the meantime add more salt and pepper to this family drama, making Mavi’s ultimate choice all the more unpredictable. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Can and Mavi Tie the Knot at the End of She Said Maybe
While Can and Mavi’s relationship has a bumpy ride over the course of the movie, the ingredients for actualizing their feelings are all scattered throughout. In reality, she realizes that she cannot let go of Can, and that prompts her to rush back to him. Meanwhile, Can, feeling similarly dejected, decides to quit his internship and spend some time travelling; however, this attempt at soul searching only conceals the true root of his emotions. When Mavi reunites with him moments before he leaves, the couple have their watershed moment at last, and they confess the true depth of love they have for each other. Mavi apologizes for letting their bond slip through in the commotion of her new lifestyle, but it is precisely that change in perspective that she needed to grasp what she desires. To that end, Mavi flips the movie’s central premise on its head and becomes the one to propose to Can, who happily says yes.
The fissures in Can and Mavi’s relationship are born out of a series of misunderstandings that feed into their communication gap. Although the couple is fairly confident in what they want on a personal and professional level, the reveal about Mavi’s heritage switches up the game. At once, the protagonist finds herself entangled in the ways of the wealthy, and that includes the pressure silently exerted by her grandmother. Yadigar’s trump card, Kent, ultimately bears fruit when a picture of him and Mavi nearly kissing is shown to Can. Mere moments before, the young architect hears that her partner took a substantial amount of money to end his relationship, and this cements their separation. However, in both these cases, we only see half of the picture, and therein lies the key point that is made by the narrative. The alienation between the two lovers ends up limiting both of their emotional sensitivity, creating the rift.
The final moments of the movie serve as a moment of reflection for both Can and Mavi, and they slowly come to see one another’s perspective. This leads to yet another shared epiphany, that the two cannot be happy so long as they are away from each other. They not only reconcile but also take the courageous next step in their relationship, in the form of a marriage. Although Mavi was previously fearful of committing to such an extent, her changed stance serves as a milestone in her transformative journey. The duo’s marriage brings all of the characters in the story together in a moment defined by love and joy, instead of ruthless family politics. A beautifully rendered sequence depicts Mavi and Can holding hands as they run past everyone that they hold near and dear in life, signifying how their love story ripples outward to create a positive chain reaction.
Can and Mavi’s Love Story Compels Yadigar to Change Her Old Ways
The biggest hurdle in Can and Mavi’s relationship undoubtedly comes in the form of Yadigar, who goes as far as to give the former a blank cheque as a reward for leaving her granddaughter. This move taps into the pulse of Can’s complicated family situation and seems almost too enticing to let go of for the budding lawyer. However, the missing pieces of that exchange are revealed in the end, in a letter that Yadigar personally sends to Mavi. We learn that Can didn’t leave a number on that cheque, and instead expressed that no amount of money could ever buy out his love for the protagonist. This directly attacks the material core of Yadigar and gives her a moment of reflection, which ultimately results in her accepting their relationship. To that end, the letter also comes with a note of apology, as well as her blessings for whichever direction the love story takes.
With Yadigar’s change of heart, Can and Mavi’s marriage sees one more guest, and this comes as a visible representation of change in the family dynamics and value systems. Although Yadigar is depicted as a no-nonsense, stone-cold figure of authority for much of the run, her final appearance is one of unbridled happiness, as she shares a dance with her granddaughter and daughter-in-law. This recalls an earlier moment in the story, when the grandmother’s more relaxed and mischievous side showed up while she was cooking with Mavi. That essence is extrapolated in the final sequence, suggesting that the matriarch has finally let go of the suffocating structures she has abided by this entire time. As such, the marriage ceremony also becomes ground for mending the long-fractured relationships within the family, proving that love can indeed conquer anything.
Read More: Is She Said Maybe a True Story? Are the Bilgins a Real Turkish Family?
