“Two Types of People” can be described as a drama-thriller movie that portrays the helplessness and trapped state of individuals who have credit card debt and are unable to repay it. It also exposes the working system of intermediary institutions that banks collaborate with to collect money from debtors, rather than focusing solely on banks.

Director-screenwriter Tunç Şahin, who tackles capitalism through the predator-prey dynamic, constructs a narrative in “Two Types of People” that leads the audience to question how various dualities produced by the system are constructed, the effectiveness of discourse in this construction, and whether the roles within these dualities will remain fixed or not.

The movie was awarded Best Screenplay (Tunç Şahin) and Best Supporting Actress (Nezaket Erden) at the 57th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 2020.

Duygu (Burcu Biricik) and Bahadır (Aras Aydın), work at a collection agency named after its founder, Eray Ege (Erdem Akakçe), and their goal is not just to collect the debts of people who owe money to the bank but to obtain more than that. Ceren (Pınar Deniz) is one of the debtors on Duygu’s list. Duygu and Bahadır start working at Eray’s company a few years apart and learn strategies to manage the psychology of debtors during their training sessions. Everything, from the atmosphere of the room where they conduct the meetings to their attitudes, is preplanned. Duygu’s lack of empathy with the debtor and Bahadır’s role as a “helpful/rescuing hero” against quick contract signing are part of the strategy they follow. In order to take advantage of her emotional void, Ceren needs to surrender to Bahadır’s guidance. While Duygu keeps Ceren under pressure, Bahadır tries to soothe her and gain her trust. With the bank providing personal information of debtors to the company and their quick closeness, Bahadır understands the reason behind Ceren’s lack of trust, and he works to establish that trust. In this way, they come one step closer to completely controlling Ceren by applying different tactics. This also signifies the breaking of Ceren’s resistance against Bahadır and the structure they represent. During their one-on-one meetings, they both start speaking ill of each other, and Ceren develops the thought that “Duygu is constantly asking me for things, but Bahadır is trying to help without expecting anything in return.”

The expectations of the system lead to competition between Duygu and Bahadır, serving the system itself. Whether there is another way will be revealed by the answer to the question Duygu asks in the final scene. The film begins to explore not only Ceren’s past but also the backgrounds of Duygu, Bahadır, and other company employees to examine who represents which side within this system, whether the predator-prey relationship remains fixed or can change. Through flashback scenes used in the film, it is revealed how the employees became part of this system. Duygu had her credit card flagged while applying for the job and attending training seminars. Another employee, Tilbe (Nezaket Erden), has worked in many places but has not received payment from most of them. Similarly, Bahadır entered the control of Eray’s company during a difficult period. What the company expects from them is to gain control over the debtors using various strategies and to conclude each case with high collection rates. The impasses of the system arise precisely at this point.

The movie is based on the premise that people are divided into two. In company trainings, Eray says the following sentences: “Debtor/creditor, boss/employee, rich/poor. You can’t decide which one you will be, but you can decide whether you will be the hunter or the hunted.” The sentence that gives the movie its name succinctly summarizes the narrative’s concern in examining the discourse structured by the system and its strategies. In many ways, it delves into the system that divides people into two.

Lead actress Burcu Biricik delivers a minimal yet impactful performance, while supporting actors Nezaket Erden, Erdem Akakçe, and Başak Daşman fulfill their roles more than adequately.

“Two Types of People” is a thought-provoking movie that criticizes the capitalist system. It presents a narrative that questions the future in a world where the system pushes people into dichotomies and individuals are not free to choose their own roles.