[pipe water bubbling]
[Mona exhales]
[Mona] Is failure something to be happy about?
No. I should probably slit my wrists.
[pipe water bubbling]
You know what the real failure is?
It's staying in a toxic relationship that hurts my daughter
just to please other people.
[footsteps recede]
[phone line ringing]
Tsk.
Hayatt, you're my only sister. Don't let our children do this to us.
Calm down and pick up, please.
[Hayatt, over phone] Stop calling me! I have no sisters!
[phone line beeps off]
[sighs]
[man praying]
Spare us, Areej. It's Dad's funeral.
[Areej] No, I don't want to know why you fell out.
I'm just worried about you.
You only have each other now.
You think your father would have liked this?
His only daughters not speaking?
-May he rest in peace. -May he rest in peace.
Brothers and sisters need to stick together.
We need to honor our parents.
[mournful music playing]
[lips smack]
Just like that. So what if your kids got divorced?
Go, Areej.
Fine. I will leave.
[woman] My condolences.
[Mona] Thank you, my dear.
-[woman] Stay strong. -God willing.
-[woman] May he rest in peace. -[Hayatt] Thank you, dear.
[pensive music playing]
[inaudible]
CRASHING EID
[cell phone rings]
-Hello? -[Mona, over phone] Abdul Aziz.
Bring the treadmill in from the storeroom, please.
Of course, ma'am.
[Hassan] Ask him if he called the gardener.
Did you call the gardener?
-He's coming tonight. -Okay.
Let's hope you actually use the treadmill this time
instead of covering it with your father's headdresses.
Ah, you have to include me in every sentence, don't you?
Well, yes, because he's the one who puts them there, not me.
-And where's my Eid money? -You're too old for Eid money.
Really? And those five-hundred bills are for whom?
My family.
-And the hundreds? -[laughs] Of course for my family.
Why don't you object?
-Or you're scared of her? -Ah.
If love is a dream, I do not wish to wake.
-What's wrong? -She's not impressed by your poetry.
-Remember that you're fasting. -[both laugh]
-Okay, I'll see you later. -Yeah, take care.
Take care, my boy.
Shall I write it?
Your handwriting sucks.
[Roxana, over phone] Remember when you fell in love with that English girl?
Mamaji, I was eight, okay? It's not the same.
But it was so, so upsetting for you.
You know, it's, uh… It's very hot here.
You would love the weather.
All I say is, just hear him out, okay?
I don't want to hear him out.
What if Razan is like her family, and looks down at you too?
Then what will you do?
Just… Just tell Abuji Razan is not racist.
Okay?
Talk to you later.
[dramatic music playing]
What are you doing?
Uh, nothing. I'm going to Dad's. I was getting dressed.
Oh. Wow.
Really? Going there again?
Yeah, I'm meeting a suitor.
A suitor?
[laughs]
You fell for it.
Idiot.
I'm breaking fast at Grandma Hayatt's,
and it's also cousin Lina's birthday.
As long as you're happy and having a good time.
I know. You've told me so many times.
Of course I want my daughter to have a good relationship with her father.
And by the way, I like that special relationship you have with Grandma.
[sighs]
Okay.
Show me what you're wearing.
-What are you wearing? -Mm…
Mom.
I love you…
but I don't think you're the best person to ask about the appropriate dress codes.
Oh yeah? And Grandma is that person?
[Lamar] Mom!
Our special relationship.
You must know that what you wear is your decision alone.
My decision is to go there wearing the right clothes.
I don't want to make a statement. I want them to love me.
They should love you for who you are, Lamar.
You can't let anyone tell you what you should wear.
Eat what you like, and also wear what you like.
No, Mom.
Grandpa says, "Eat what you like, but wear what others like."
All right.
Just let me know when you get there.
Okay, I'll call you as soon as they lock me up.
Mom, what are you doing? I'll be late.
You're not funny. Stop it.
[dramatic music playing]
[Khaled, over phone] A meeting will be arranged for you
-and Baraa's mother at the family center. -Shh!
If she tells me to buy her stuff,
should I do it or not?
You won't have any more hassle.
All the visits will be arranged by the family center.
You won't need to talk to her.
Yes, yes, Khaled. I know that.
Yup.
Fine, when can I pick him up for Eid?
The 29th of Ramadan.
Okay, okay.
All right. Thanks, Khaled. Talk to you later, bye.
Shh!
-[shushing] -[cat meowing]
[meowing]
You know that men can scare cats. You're a girl, so you're not so scary.
[cell phone rings]
PSYCHO
You sure that girls are not scary?
Listen to this. It reminds me of Baraa.
[ethereal music playing on radio]
♪ I'm back, my precious love ♪
♪ To tell you That I can't take it anymore ♪
♪ My love No matter how far I've been from you ♪
♪ Through your heart you've been with me ♪
Come on sweetheart. Time to eat.
Grandma Hayatt, is that me?
Uh, no.
But there's a photo of you and your dad at the same place.
Really?
Where?
[Hayatt] Maybe your mother has it.
[Razan] Tell me what happened. Everything was fine yesterday.
How come he changed his mind all of a sudden?
I mean, what did he say exactly?
[sighs]
Look, nothing important.
All right? That… that we're different.
I have an idea to convince your parents.
Can it work for yours?
Look, we can solve your parents' problem first,
and when we get back to London, we'll take care of my dad.
Okay.
What does he mean by "different"?
Why don't you talk to your mother heart-to-heart?
[laughs]
Have you met my mom?
My mom doesn't have a heart.
Okay, did you tell him that my family doesn't look down on you?
Okay, we can talk about my dad.
Okay, so of course you'll tell him the truth,
but not in great detail.
Tell him my mom doesn't want me to remarry
because she's scared of her sister, whose son I was married to.
-Got it? -[cell phone pings]
[cell phone pinging repeatedly]
You won't answer?
-I'll call him back. -[cell phone vibrates]
[laughs]
Uh…
I'll talk to him when he calms down.
Where's Lamar?
She went to her dad's.
I'm okay, really. I want her to see her dad.
-Really? -[Razan] Mm-hmm.
Honestly, I'm worried they might not accept her.
They haven't seen her in ages.
I'm sure they're going easy on her and they're having a great time.
-Really? -[Sameer] Yeah.
She's a great kid.
I hope that we could have a kid like Lamar.
[dramatic music playing]
-Oh. -Oh. Oh!
Or get a cat.
Razan, Razan.
Are you okay?
[sighs] Sameer.
I'm now 34 years of age.
If you want to have kids, we should have started before yesterday.
Look, all right, let's solve one problem at a time, okay?
Uh, excuse me?
-Yes, sir? -The check, please.
And this take away, please.
I can give it to Abdul Aziz. That's better.
Oh, Layla.
Such a beautiful name.
[Layla] Thank you.
[tap water turns off]
-[cell phone rings] -Oh!
[sighs and clears throat]
Hello.
As-salamu alaykum, Razan.
Wa 'alaykumu s-salam, Uncle.
-Are you looking for Sameer? -[toilet flushes]
-[stall door opens and closes] -Are you talking to me from the toilet?
Of course not. Absolutely not.
[whimsical music playing]
Please, Razan, leave my son alone.
[hand dryer whirring]
You know I'm not dominant.
To be honest, I didn't think Sameer will go through this marriage.
Why wouldn't he?
I'm sure you understand how difficult it is
to marry someone with a kid.
[Razan] No.
Have you married someone with a kid before?
[knock on door]
You seem busy, and I have said my piece.
Uncle Gholam, please be assured that my kid is my own responsibility, not his.
You say this now.
Sameer will be better off marrying a Pakistani woman with no children.
Someone who will experience the marriage first time.
Someone young.
You know Sameer and I are the same age, right?
-[knocking on door] -A man is always younger
than a woman his age.
That's nonsense. It's not true.
-I don't want to get into this. -[knocking persists]
But compare Brad Pitt to Jennifer Aniston.
-Brad Pitt didn't need a plastic surgery. -[doorknob jiggles]
-[knocking persists] -Neither does Jennifer Aniston.
But you know what? Women are not allowed to age.
I must go.
What? Are you dying? Couldn't you wait?
I don't understand, what's the rush?
-Sameer. -Mm?
Do you really want to get married, or what?
I mean, are you sure you want to marry me?
You or Dua Lipa.
Razan, I came specially from London to marry you.
-Thank you, Layla. -You're welcome.
What's that?
Oh, uh, I would never give Abdul Aziz our leftovers, Razan.
-I'm sure you agree, right? -Okay, whatever. Just listen--
-Were you gonna give him your leftovers? -No, Sameer, it doesn't matter.
Listen.
We're getting married. Now.
[dramatic music playing]
Really?
I ran, and four men were after me.
-I'm telling you. -[Haneen] Delicious.
-[Layth] It's really nice. -[Hayatt] Really?
Hey, Lulu, how's life in London? Tell us.
Rubbish.
[mischievous music playing]
[laughs] I'm joking, joking.
It's good.
My friends say schools in London have boys and girls together.
[Layth] And how old are your friends?
It's true.
And your friends, they visit you at home?
Uh, don't you think that mixed schools are better?
It allows kids to work with the opposite sex, right?
Where's Fatima? Did she eat?
Yes, and I put her to bed.
Habibi, London is different.
People in London are not like us.
I mean, they're not so different, but we're still not the same.
So, I'll, uh, go to the kitchen to get something.
Make sure you finish your plate. I'll be right back.
Yalla, finish your food. Yalla.
That's not true. Life is the same.
Right is right, and wrong is wrong, whether it's here or there.
-It does not change. -Mazen, please, pour me some yogurt.
[dramatic musical sting]
[sighs]
Thank you. And another one for Lina.
[whimsical music playing]
Auntie, wouldn't you like something to drink?
Typical of Razan's family.
-They've never known… -[Hayatt] Is the water cold?
[Haneen] Give her some cold water.
Typical of Razan's family.
-They've never known how to respect-- -Layth?
Do you want some Vimto?
Pour some Vimto for Layth.
[Mazen sighs]
Their father has always been too flexible with them.
And look what's happened.
They're out of control.
Without a real man in the family, no wonder they act out.
No, habibi, that's not right.
Neither my sister, nor her husband, nor Sofyan agree with Razan.
Only she's possessed, and always does what she wants.
If you really care about me, how come you never call?
Lamar, dear, I let you go with her because I didn't want my daughter
to live without her mother.
And in the end, look how you turned out.
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Don't blame me for how I turned out ♪
♪ Happy birthday… ♪
♪ Don't blame me for how I turned out ♪
♪ Happy birthday… ♪
♪ Life took me Where I did not want to be ♪
♪ Don't fight me because I'm different ♪
♪ I'm just like you I also suffer in secret ♪
[Baraa] I love you, Dad.
♪ I'm just like you I also suffer in secret ♪
[Razan] Hello? As-salamu alaykum. Is this Sheikh Khaled's number?
[woman, on phone] Sheikh Khaled? How do you know Khaled?
No, no. I found his number online. I'm looking for a marriage registrar.
A registrar, huh? Do you think I'm stupid? No one gets married in Ramadan.
I do. Ramadan is a blessed month.
And since when do girls call looking for the registrar?
Listen, the bottom line is, if you ever call again, I swear I'll--
[line disconnects]
[cell phone chimes]
Leave me alone.
No luck?
Maybe everyone is busy because of Eid.
[cell phone rings]
What do you want, you…
DAD
Hold on.
[sighs]
Hello?
[Hassan, on phone] Razan. Where are you?
I went to iftar with Sameer
We were in public, surrounded by people.
Yes, I know, I know, sweetie.
So, you're not going to let go of this idea?
Sweetie, listen to me.
Remember that friend that I talked to about you?
His wife's friend is a psychologist, and she has a research department.
Hello? Razan?
Yes, Dad. I'm listening.
Baba…
I don't want to work for a research department at some clinic or another.
I want my job that I have in London,
which is academic research at a university.
So why would I look for another?
[call waiting beeps]
Sweetie, we're just worried about you,
and we don't want you to live that far away from us.
It's already been years.
What if something happens to you over there?
Baba, what do you mean? If something happens?
Wasn't I here with you all when something happened?
No one stood by me.
Anyway, Baba, I'm hanging up. I need to go right now. Bye.
[cell phone pings]
I need an appointment right now.
"Right now."
I found one. We have 55 minutes.
[upbeat music playing]
Six.
[scoffs]
-Let's… Let's not rush. -[Saeed] Yes?
Excuse us for two minutes, okay? Just two minutes.
What do you mean, "Let's not rush"?
I'm telling you all the rest are busy with Eid.
Um, let's get married in Britain, huh?
Get married in Britain? But we're here now, on the doorstep.
Why wait? Cold feet?
-No. -All right?
-All right -"All right" what?
Listen, you're right.
[sighs]
[Saeed] Take this abaya from my wife.
Cover yourself with it.
You can return it afterwards.
[mischievous music playing]
Is your family coming? The witnesses, are they coming?
Um…
Uh, yes. They're on their way. Let me check if they're here.
I'll send you the location now. Just come right away.
Okay, bye.
We need another one.
Who you gonna call?
[phone line beeping]
-Hello. -[Sofyan, on phone] Hello.
Sofyan, I need you urgently.
I'm on the treadmill. Do I need to get off?
No, no, no. It's fine.
Actually, sit down.
Where are you?
Sofyan, I'm at the registrar's. I'm getting married.
I need a witness. Come.
God help me.
Hello?
Seriously, where are you?
I'm at the registrar's. I'll send you the location.
You're joking, right?
If you don't want to come, just say it.
-Hold the ladder, Mona. -I am, Hassan.
-Hold it with both hands. -I am. Now, get on with it.
Okay.
[Hassan humming]
What's wrong?
-Your daughter… -[Hassan] What about her?
-…is getting married now. -What?
-Ah! -No! No!
Hold the ladder, don't hold me! Why did you let go, woman?
You gave me a concussion.
Wasn't this marriage story over yesterday, Hassan?
-Come on, let's go. -You gave her hope again, huh?
[Hassan] Come on, Sofyan.
-You never learn, do you? -Hold the ladder.
[cell phone vibrating]
[doorbell rings]
The witness.
[Saeed] So, no father and not enough witnesses.
What kind of marriage is this?
Dad, where to?
To the registrar's.
I-I don't have his address. Do you have it?
-How come you don't? Call your sister. -Called her a thousand times.
-She won't answer. -Then call the other idiot.
I don't have his number.
[phone line beeps]
[sighs]
I don't know who's worse, your sister or your mother.
Let's go inside.
No, you go in.
Are you afraid?
Of course not. What do you mean, afraid?
Let's go.
Hmm? You go in first.
[wristwatch beeps]
Um…
Uh, do you have advice for a married couple, Sheikh?
Since you are already here, it's too late for advice.
Are you Indian?
Uh…
Do you have an issue with his race?
No, sister.
What separates one person from another is piety.
[sighs]
Okay, look, this… This just doesn't feel right.
There's no time.
[cell phone vibrates]
DAD
Maybe because I'm the only one who's trying here, Sameer.
Brother, please tell her to be quiet. My family's in there.
[scoffs]
[phone line beeping]
[sighs and whispers] Oh God.
Shall I try again?
Yeah.
[phone line beeps]
[Razan, on phone] Yeah? What do you want?
Don't worry. Happy now? There was no marriage. No nothing.
[phone line disconnects]
[sighs softly]
[Sofyan sighs]
Where are you going?
[Sofyan] To get Lamar.
[dramatic music playing]
♪ You're precious to me, but… ♪
[ringing]
[phone ringing resumes]
[ignores call]
I won't answer.
-Ugh. -[phone ringing resumes]
BARAA
Hello, buddy. How are you?
Dad, I don't want to go to the center. Pick me up from Mama, please.
Why, buddy? The center's good.
No, I'm scared. Don't make me go.
Look, buddy, the people at the center are very sweet and friendly.
They will love you. And I'll be there.
Don't be scared. Agreed?
[whispering] Dad says the center isn't scary.
[Dareen, whispering] Tell him, "I want to stay at home."
No.
[Dareen] Tell him, "I'm scared, I don't want to go."
For God's sake, woman.
Stop this crazy act. And don't involve the kid.
[Dareen] Shh! Let's hang up.
Leave the boy out of the…
[whimsical music playing]
[car door opens]
What's wrong?
My car upset you in some way or something?
Hey, hey, hey.
Tsk!
[sighs]
You didn't like their food? Was it too spicy or something?
What's wrong?
[exhales]
[car engine starts]
[whispering prayer]
Oh Allah, I seek your knowledge.
May you guide us with your wisdom.
If the marriage of my daughter, Razan, to Sameer…
is good for her,
then let it be so.
And grant her your blessing.
But if it was ever going to harm her,
drive her away from it.
And sway her heart.
And bring her the best, whatever it is.
[dramatic music playing]
Hey!
You!
Where did you come from?
We all came from God, and to Him we shall return.
I am gardener.
I saw door was open…
so I come in, uh…
Where's Abdul Aziz?
I'm here, I'm here. I'll take you there. Come, come, this way.
Let's go. Here, this way.
[dramatic music playing]
[Sameer] Razan, I understand it didn't go exactly how we thought it would go, but…
We have to talk about this.
Razan, will you talk to me?
Razan!
[car door closes]
Razan, please!
[footsteps recede]
[door opens and closes]
[dramatic music playing]
Lamar? What's wrong, honey? Are you okay?
I tried to call you, but something came up.
It's all your fault.
I was taken away from my family, and now you're asking if I'm okay?
Why are you saying this, honey?
Why did you take me away from Dad?
But I give you everything you need.
You can't know that, Mom.
I'm not like you. I need my father.
And I don't want to fight with him all the time.
I don't fight with my family all the time.
[laughs]
And why did you move us so far away?
Just so no one can tell you what to wear?
There's not a single picture of me at Dad's.
As if I didn't exist in his life.
[door closes]
Maybe I'd better go live with my Dad, since you're so busy.
I'm not busy. You always come first, Lamar…
[dramatic music playing]
[cell phone rings]
[knock at door]
-As-salamu alaykum. -Wa 'alaykumu s-salam.
From Ma'am Mona.
Thanks.
STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER
[mischievous music playing]
[sighs]
-[knock on door] -[doorknob jiggles]
[Razan] Lamar.
Lamar, please open the door and let's talk.
Mom, enough. Let me be.
[pensive music playing]
MEDICAL REPORT NAME: RAZAN HASSAN MAWRUTH
[cell phone pings]
[knock on door]
[Sofyan] Lamar.
It's me, your uncle Sofyan.
[knocking persists]
Uh, look what I've got.
You want to play?
Come on, get changed and come out.
Ready?
What's wrong?
Move.
Play.
Was Dad a good person?
Yalla, Lamar, come on. Yalla.
Answer me first.
Uh, he was all right.
Whoa!
Easy girl. No need to get tough.
Yalla, ready?
Are you playing or not?
Was he good to Mom?
I don't know. I wasn't with them, Lamar.
I know that he used to hit her.
[Mona] I told her not to marry Mazen.
But she insisted on doing what she wanted.
The girl married her cousin.
How could she have known he would do this?
Of course, you always take her side.
God forbid you tell her to listen to us.
All you want is to be the sweet, loving father who everyone likes,
and I'm the bossy monster of a mother who doesn't care about the happiness
of her own daughter.
Mom is a bossy monster who has the power to drive me completely insane.
But that's not the problem.
The problem is that you, all of a sudden, decided to call off our marriage.
I said postpone it.
An hour ago, you agreed to get married.
Now you say, "Let's postpone it."
Make up your mind.
I'm 100% sure that I want to marry you, but I'm unwelcome here.
And I hope the amount is suitable.
You're joking.
Listen, my mother will never change.
You're the one who needs to be sure that you want me.
Every single time my mom does something, we fight.
And I end up begging you to stay with me.
Like all married couples, they used to fight.
Did you hit your wife till she needed the hospital?
Of course not.
So, it's not okay.
No, it's not.
You're right. It's not okay.
Razan will never change.
If we keep challenging her, she'll go back to London.
And God knows when she'll come back.
So it's blackmail? "Do what I want or I'll cut you off"?
-So what? Should we put her on a leash? -We could.
Mona, to be honest, there's nothing wrong with the guy.
So, you're letting your daughter marry a Pakistani?
With a British passport!
My family are not racist.
My mom doesn't want me to marry you only because of her sister.
No, don't lie to yourself, Razan.
Lie to myself?
You always lie to yourself.
You say you're okay with Lamar seeing her father, but really you're not.
[Razan] What?
Sure, I'm okay with her seeing her father.
Absolutely okay.
And what does that have to do with anything?
I'm talking to you about us. You and me, and our marriage.
Look, it's very simple.
Your mother doesn't want us to get married because my mom and dad come from Pakistan.
-That's the truth. -No!
The truth is, my mom doesn't want us to get married
because she just wants to spite me.
Because she hates my guts for no reason, ever since I was born,
and I don't know why.
Every time I make up with my sister, Razan comes and ruins it.
What do I tell Hayatt and Mazen?
Forget them. Last time I checked, she wasn't his wife.
Mona, you need to think of your daughter first.
[plastic snaps]
Mona. Mona!
Tsk.
And what did you do?
Tell me you helped her.
-What did Grandma do? -[door opens]
[footsteps]
Grandma baked us finger-licking goodies.
[door opens]
-Your mother doesn't want us to help her. -[door closes]
She only does what she wants.
When they took you from her, she went to them crying and screaming.
She went crazy.
We kept telling her to calm down,
to wait and figure it out together and find a solution.
She never listens.
Because she didn't have a lawyer like you?
Look, Lamar, if you want to ask these questions, ask your mother.
Don't ask me.
What's the point when you all lie and hide things from me, huh?
Why doesn't anyone think of me?
I'm supposed to think of my daughter, and maybe we shouldn't get married then.
What? No. I love Lamar. I feel like she's my daughter too.
It's not easy to marry someone with a kid.
Come on, where is this coming from?
Listen, Sameer, I want a man who's sure that he wants me and my daughter,
and doesn't use my mother as an excuse.
And not to mention your racist father, huh?
Because he said your family looks down on us?
He's a racist?
He's not wrong, you know. Your family does look down on us.
-Look at how you treat your driver. -How do we treat our driver?
-You wanted to give him your leftovers. -It's a mindless habit.
-Everyone here does that. -You don't even use his real name.
-Because his real name is Sofyan. -Yeah.
It would be very confusing to have two people with the same name.
-[laughs] Come on. -You know, Sameer,
if Abdul Aziz wasn't Pakistani, I bet you wouldn't have cared.
Right now, I'm fighting with my parents and my own daughter,
and fighting with the whole world just to marry you.
And all that you care about is,
why we call Abdul Aziz by a different name.
His name is Sofyan!
Okay, look, I'm just saying that from the outside,
it could look like you're--
Maybe you don't actually want to marry me.
Maybe you were too embarrassed to say no because I proposed.
No, no. No, okay?
I knew you were the one since the day I met you.
Okay, so why didn't you propose?
[dramatic music playing]
It seems your father is right.
Getting married was a bad idea.
No. That's not what I want.
I think you'd better go back to London
and find a Pakistani girl who thinks you're a catch.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[wistful music playing]
I've been looking for you.
I'm right here.
Razan, you need to know
that no one in the world cares about you
like we do.
Sameer is a good guy.
[sighs]
You have my blessing.
Congratulations.
-[timer dings] -Your daughter is out of her mind.
He's British. And Muslim.
-They come from Pakistan. -You kept complaining that my son hit her,
when and you and I knew it was your daughter's fault.
because she allowed him to raise his hand against her.
Right.
She made quite the scene when he divorced her.
And because he's so kind, he gave you custody.
Because we're family and we care about you.
And we really care about you too.
And then she left, and took her daughter away from her father.
And now she wants a stranger to raise her?
I know you're right, but you don't know how difficult Razan can be.
You're her mother.
Hayatt, don't let the children come between us.
Oh God.
[dramatic music playing]
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
[man singing in foreign language]