What is Last Call for Istanbul about? Netflix movie explained

Lucy-Jo Finnighan
The cast of Last Call for Istanbul

The Last Call For Istanbul is a new Netflix movie, but what is it about, and is it worth watching? Read on to find out.

Netflix has pumped out a number of romantic projects over the past year, from Love at First Sight to XO, Kitty.

But if you’re looking for a classic getaway romantic-comedy-drama, then Last Call for Istanbul might be for you.

But what is Last Call for Istanbul about, and is it even worth watching? Well, read on to find out.

What is Last Call for Istanbul about?

Last Call for Istanbul follows a chance meeting between two married people in New York City, leading to a night they’ll never forget and a “story about love and second chances.”

Check out the trailer below:

The official synopsis reads: “Serin and Mehmet, who meet by chance at the airport on their way from Istanbul to New York, are dragged into an unforgettable night of excitement, desire, and temptation in New York. While they are spending the best moments of their lives together, there is only one problem: they are both married.”

It comes from Gönenç Uyanık, who directed episodes of other Netflix shows like Love 101, The Gift, The Protector.

It first hit Netflix on November 24, and it’s managed to climb to seventh on the streamer’s top 10 chart of movies in the US, sitting above Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Christmas Chronicles, and Trolls.

It also has a sharp runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes, so it’s short enough to be worth a try – although put the young kids to bed first, since it’s rated TV-MA.

Last Call for Istanbul cast: Who’s in it?

The main cast of Last Call for Istanbul includes:

  • Kivanç Tatlitug as Mehmet
  • Beren Saat as Serin
  • Annie McCain Engman as June

In an interview with Vogue Türkiye, Saat credited the movie’s concept to its producer Onur Güvenatam, who called her and asked if they could “shoot a fancy movie” with Tatlitug in New York.

“And then [writer Nuran Evren Şit] came up with our funny love story. Gönenç Uyanık and Gökhan Tiryaki filmed… they are very professional in what they do. Shooting a movie in New York with my favorite friends was a reward for me, not a job.”

Saat and Tatlitug starred together in Forbidden Love in the late aughts. During a press conference at the movie’s premiere, Saat explained: “The reason we waited all those years [to reunite] is that we waited for a script, a story that wouldn’t disappoint the audience. In my opinion, it’s the right time and story.”

Is Last Call for Istanbul worth watching?

While Last Call for Istanbul doesn’t have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet, it has received an 80% audience rating and many positive reactions on social media.

One review from But Why Tho? reads: “Last Call for Istanbul wows in a truly unexpected way. While the story initially feels familiar, it turns into something unique, making sure that the fantastic chemistry between the film’s leads is not squandered on a run-of-the-mill romance tale.”

“Wasn’t expecting that I would like Last Call for Istanbul as much as I ended up liking it… it’s a good watch, you will have a good time with that one,” one X/Twitter user also wrote. “Last Call for Istanbul movie – very interesting how it lays out the storyline; also enjoy how they show the realities that could be faced as we journey through a relationship,” another posted.

Last Call for Istanbul is currently available to stream on Netflix. You can check out our other Netflix hubs below: 

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