Ali (Ekin Koç), The Things You Kill‘s protagonist, goes through the same things one experiences when one of their parents passes. As a Turkish family’s only son, he’s responsible for getting everyone together and managing complex feelings. There’s practical stuff, like asking his sister Mariam (İdil Engindeniz) about their mother Sakine’s (Güliz Şirinyan) death certificate. But what’s different for him is his friendship with his gardener Reza (Erkan Kolçak Köstendil), who mysteriously takes his place. Somehow, no one can tell the difference between the two men – the hard part is Reza inheriting Ali’s problems. Reza has to deal with Ali’s father Hamit’s (Ercan Kesal), as well as what he and Ali did to Hamit.

Featuring some subtly cool camera sequences, this film has two unequal halves – one features Ali’s actions and another Reza. The first half that features Ali bears its own fruit as he plays detective, wondering what happened during Sakine’s death. At one point, one of his in-laws asks why he doesn’t know where his own father is that fateful night. Strangely enough, and in a good way, Ali is both a central figure and a ghost in the world he’s in. The film touches on that theme as it reveals that it takes place after Ali’s initial disappearance from Turkey. Specifically, the film reveals that his departure from Turkey has more to do than him studying literature. And by returning The Things You Kill also has Ali dealing with the women in his life like his wife Hazar (Hazar Ergüçlü) and his other sister Nesrin (Selen Kurtaran).

But of course, the Reza half in The Things You Kill is interesting because it bears repeating – how can no one tell these two apart?! The film, thankfully, decides for Reza to not overthink things and to behave with pure instinct, adding a certain mystique. The viewers will eventually discover what the real Ali thinks of Hamit’s affair, but Reza’s angry when he finds out. One can also snicker at Reza’s reaction because he finds this out while having affairs with one of Ali’s younger female students. One can also intellectualize the switch and see things through the lens of one’s identity in conflict with their society. And I’m sure there’s a lot of that too even while considering that Reza as Ali behaves differently than Ali.

In capturing the behaviour of its two protagonists, The Things You Kill balances aspects that are both literary and pulpy. Repeat viewings reveal layers of hurt, especially when Reza discovers Hamit’s traumatic backstory that Ali may never discover. The film’s pulpy side, of course, involves Ali And Reza killing Hamit and Reza and the crime they committed. Alireza Khatami’s film lets its viewers feast on thematic binaries and how characters enter worlds with a seeming ease. At one point, Reza is in the hospital with an aunt, at another, he’s driving back to the scene of the crime. The viewer, then, wonders whether Reza’s actions will result in him keeping up appearances or whether order finds its way.

Film lovers can watch The Things You Kill in select Canadian theatres. TIFF Lightbox will also treat their patrons with a Q&A after their Friday night screening.