The definition of a true gentleman can be someone who is loyal, respectful, and doesn’t feel the need to prove their dominance; instead, it’s maybe someone who loves you for who you are, values you, and stands by his word. But, in the Netflix movie A True Gentleman, we see that defining the true nature of a gentleman is not as simple as it seems, because even though men try to portray themselves as simple creatures, they are often not. Through the protagonist of the film, Saygin, we see how he gets caught up in his own mess, which ultimately prevents him from being the ideal “gentleman” he strives to be. Actually, in this movie Saygin and his friend like brother Kadir are male escorts but it isn’t just about their looks or charm; instead, they’re hired by rich, lonely women to make them feel seen, understood, and valued, naturally the things their own husbands often fail to do. It’s not an easy gig, as these brothers have to balance these women’s emotional needs with the demands of the business. But, things get even more complicated when one of Saygin’s clients, Serap, asks him to stop being an escort and be with her exclusively. Why? And does he keep his promise to Serap and become the “true gentleman” he’s supposed to be by keeping his words till the end? We are about to find that out from A True Gentleman’s explainer.
Spoilers Ahead
Why did Saygin agree with Serap’s condition?
Saygın and Kadir didn’t have an easy life as from a young age, they were forced to look after each other after their mother died in a house fire. They had no one to guide them, so their circumstances pushed them into becoming male escorts. Saygın had been in the business for years and had built a long list of wealthy clients, so he knew how to charm these lonely women and make them feel beautiful and desired, because the better he was at it, the more they were willing to pay. When Kadir started mixing with the wrong crowd, Saygın stepped in and taught him the ropes of his business. He even passed along some of his old clients to show Kadir how to play the part, and together, they made quite a team. So, one day, they attended a grand party thrown by one of Saygın’s wealthiest clients named Serap. Her husband had stopped loving her long ago, and Saygın had been keeping her company for years. You could see that the chemistry between them was undeniable, but Serap wanted more than just casual flings, she needed stability, love, and respect; something real. That’s why she made Saygın an offer, that if he left his escort life behind and became hers exclusively, she would give him everything he ever wanted, a luxury house, an expensive car, and the dream life he’d always imagined. Saygın was shocked and happy at the same time. I mean it wasn’t that he enjoyed sleeping with these women, but the money had always been good. Now, Serap was offering him the same lifestyle without having to continue the job, he just had to be a true gentleman and stay loyal to her. It’s not that hard, right? So, in the end, Saygın accepted her offer, became her lover, and got everything she promised.
How did Serap get to know about Nehir?
Serap’s party actually changed Saygin’s life, because where on the one hand, he had an offer to live a luxurious life, on the other hand, he’d met Nehir, who was like love at first sight to him. She was a singer and composer who sang a childhood song that brought back deep memories for him and these two hit it off immediately as they shared everything they loved and hated. They connected on a real level, which is something Saygın hadn’t felt in a long time. But Nehir had to leave to be with her best friend Fulya, who turned out to be Serap’s daughter, while Saygın went off to meet Serap. He promised Nehir they’d meet again, but he couldn’t keep that promise because he had to stay loyal to Serap and his agreement with her. Naturally, Nehir was disappointed, as she had been charmed by him and felt a real spark. Fate, however, had other plans, because they bumped into each other again at Fulya’s birthday party. Since Saygın vouched for Kadir, Serap had offered to pay Kadir to meet with Fulya at her birthday party to boost her confidence and make her feel beautiful. But after coming to the birthday party and meeting Nehir again, Saygin realized that Fulya was Nehir’s best friend, and he wanted to back out because he didn’t want to mix his personal feelings with his job.
The truth was, Saygın had fallen for Nehir from their very first meeting and was struggling to stay away from her. But the problem was, even though he tried to distance himself, he couldn’t. At the party, they both ended up getting drunk, and Saygın couldn’t let Nehir go home alone. Even though it went against his arrangement with Serap, he took Nehir home. The next morning, when Nehir wanted to take a bus to her dorm in the rain, Saygın couldn’t let her leave like that. They ended up spending the day together and went to watch a movie together like a date. It was becoming clearer to Saygın that his heart was with Nehir, not Serap. Even when Serap called him repeatedly or came to visit, he couldn’t fake his affection for her anymore. Serap was also not that stupid, and she noticed something was off. Saygın was even very protective of Nehir, and when a fire broke out in her dorm, his past trauma of losing his mother in the fire only made him even more protective. Nehir started to suspect something wasn’t right, especially when she overheard Saygın talking with Kadir one night about how the house and car weren’t in his name. But she didn’t say anything as she hoped there was a good explanation. Her best friend Fulya, however, noticed Nehir struggling to be with a man who was not honest with her and shared the situation with her mother, Serap. That’s when Serap realized Nehir was the woman Saygın was truly in love with, and that that was why he’d been ignoring her. Serap knew that love couldn’t be forced, so even though Saygın tried hard to stay loyal and be the “true gentleman” to Serap, he couldn’t deny the truth that he didn’t love her. For the last time, when Serap came to see him, Nehir decided to surprise Saygın with a visit. But when she arrived at his house, she found Saygın and Serap together in bed. Naturally, she felt betrayed and heartbroken, and Nehir realized everything about Saygın, from his lifestyle to his promises, was all a lie, and maybe he didn’t love her after all. Saygın tried to explain, to make her understand how much she meant to him, but it was too late. Serap, too, was dealing with her battle with cervical cancer. So, in the end, Saygın was left with no one, because the promises he’d made to both women and the attempt to keep them both in his life fell apart, which left him completely broken and alone.
During A True Gentleman‘s ending, we learn that Kadir left too, because he had gotten involved with the wrong crowd again, and fell deep into addiction and depression. Sadly, he couldn’t find a way out and died due to drug overdose. After Kadir’s death, Saygın realized his previous lifestyle was destroying him too. So, three years passed, and during that time, he turned his life around for good and became a chef by using the money he had made to open his own restaurant. The flashy life as a male escort didn’t fit him anymore and he wanted something real, something honest. One day, in that very restaurant, Saygın met Nehir again. After all those years, it looked like these two still had feelings from the way they looked at each other. So maybe there was hope that this time, things could be different for them as Saygın had changed and had become the true gentleman Nehir deserved: honest, loyal, and respectful. So, maybe now, they can have the relationship they were meant to have.
