[bright music]
[indistinct announcement
over PA system]
[footsteps]
[pensive string music]
[music continues]
[people talking indistinctly]
[luggage clattering]
[bus rumbling]
[music continues]
[traffic noise]
["Surah Yaseen"
by Qari Tareq Mohammed
over speakers]
[upbeat music]
-Well, damn.
-[Muhammad chuckles]
Come on in.
sh*t crazy.
Everywhere I look,
there's, like, a crane
or construction tape.
They even fixed the streets.
I don't gotta get a new tire
every time I take the lodge.
[pensive music]
To the return.
[ice clinks]
[traffic noise]
[Muhammad]
Anything going on tonight?
Bro... everything.
[upbeat electronic music]
[crackling]
-Wow. What up, n*gga?
-What are you doing here, man?
[laughs] My guy, man. Come on.
[rap music playing]
Hey, man.
Look who I found, y'all.
-[man 1] Oh, my God.
-[man 2] Damn.
[laughing]
What's goin' on?
What's up, man? You all right?
[intense foreboding music]
[sniffs]
[muffled club music]
[snorts]
Mm.
[music continues]
[snorts, coughs]
[moans]
-Get in here, Dre!
-Let me get some of that.
Let me get some of that.
Yo, welcome home!
[man speaks indistinctly]
Oh, my God.
[indistinct chatter]
-[man 1] Know what I mean?
-[music changes abruptly]
[man 2]
Yes, sir.
[man 1]
Gettin' all the money
tonight, right?
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
Who is that?
Her?
You don't want to f*ck with her.
But, yeah, my name is Asia,
like the continent.
You'd be surprised
a lot of people say Asia,
like the country,
but it's actually a continent.
Oh, the DJ was so fire tonight.
Do you dance?
[Muhammad laughing]
[truck unlocks]
[truck beeping]
-I don't even know your name.
-["Surah Yaseen" by Qari Tareq
Mohammed over speakers]
[Muhammad chuckles]
[turns off recital]
[door closes]
[chuckles] n*gg*s in Detroit
don't do coke.
[snorts]
I don't live in Detroit no more.
Clearly.
[snorting]
Oh.
Let's do this.
-[exhales]
-[siren wailing in distance]
-[Asia laughing]
-[Muhammad] Where you going?
-Where are we going?
-Mm.
Yo, you know,
there's nothing around here.
[Muhammad chuckles]
Uh-uh. I'm about
to get me a car. [chuckles]
[Muhammad]
Bring your a*s.
[Asia]
Your a*s been gone too long.
You know, the city shut down
at, like, 2:00.
You don't hear me?
[fist thudding]
Whoa. What is this?
You live here?
[door squeaks]
Come on. Hurry up.
[upbeat music]
Feeling outta place
Feeling outta place...
[Asia clears throat]
[snorts, sniffs]
[moans]
[coughs softly]
[Asia chuckles]
Give it to me.
[sniffs]
[snorts, exhales]
-[Asia laughs]
-[sniffing]
-Get off of me.
-[laughs]
My n*gga. You good?
[Muhammad and Asia laughing]
-You came in hot.
-[Asia and Muhammad laughing]
-That n*gga silly.
-[both continue laughing]
Come on.
I need my head.
I got robbed up in here
three weeks ago, so...
[Asia snickers]
I'm sorry. Yo, my man, like,
this sh*t will make you
way more quicker on the draw.
You know what I mean?
[mimicking g*nshots]
Ah. Ah, ah, ah, ah. Ah, ah.
[Muhammad mimicking g*nshots]
Shots fired!
[Muhammad and Asia laughing]
You ain't gonna get robbed
no more. I can guarantee you
that sh*t. [laughs]
-We got you. [laughs]
-[Earl] Where the f*ck
you find her?
[slow hip-hop music]
[song playing indistinctly]
[Muhammad sighs]
[sighs, winces]
[Asia chuckles]
It's okay.
[upbeat hip-hop music]
[Asia exhales]
[Asia chuckling]
[Muhammad]
What the f*ck are you doing?
I was putting
my f*cking number in, but...
[exhales, scoffs]
since you feel some type of way,
take your sh*t.
[music continues]
[sighs]
-[door squeaking]
-God.
Let me take you home.
I'll drive you home.
Mystery man.
So cool, ain't you?
f*ck outta here.
[traffic noise]
[Muhammad]
Yo.
Asia.
[pensive string music]
[Imam Amir chanting]
[bell dinging]
Coffee.
Something for the eyes.
[sunglasses clatter]
[grunts]
[chanting continues]
[chanting continues in distance]
[chanting continues]
[Yusuf]
Hey, man.
It's done.
It's done?
Amir.
You can wash.
[jugs rattling]
You can wash his head.
It's sunnah.
[Muhammad]
I got it.
I got it.
[Imam Amir]
Easy, Muhammad.
[Yusuf praying in Arabic]
[continues praying]
[Yusuf continues praying]
[pensive music]
[music continues]
Go on. Go ahead.
[Imam Amir praying]
Allahu Akbar.
[mourners]
Allahu Akbar.
[Imam Amir]
Allahu Akbar.
[mourners]
Allahu Akbar.
[Imam Amir]
Allahu Akbar.
[mourners]
Allahu Akbar.
[mourners praying in Arabic]
[exhales]
[breathes shakily] Who knew.
um, that you could talk
to your stepfather
about boys? [chuckles]
You don't, you don't hear
stories like his, like Khalid's.
Come in and, um,
and raise four kids.
Help raise four kids.
Now I just feel
so confused. [sobs]
[sobbing]
Just...
...just, uh...
I had...
...no idea.
That man...
...he worked...
...to death.
I had no idea
what he was dealing with.
[Muhammad sniffs]
Khalid...
...he taught me a lot of things.
-[Muhammad sighs]
-Mm-hm.
Muhammad.
Lisa.
This is your step-sister.
Hi.
[chuckles]
I love, I love your movies.
[chuckles] Seen all of them.
-Thank you.
-[Lisa] Yeah.
Nice to meet you.
You too.
[wheezing]
[bottle clatters]
[breathing heavily]
[Iman]
So, they said that 4000,
that's for, um...
In order for us to move forward
with anything, right? So...
[Umi]
Mm.
[Iman]
What does the land
have to do with anything, Yusuf?
[Yusuf sighs]
[Iman]
Muhammad.
-[Iman] I mean, we can--
-[Yusuf] That's another
added expense.
[Iman]
Hey, come on over here.
Do you think they're gonna
charge us to use our house?
[Raina]
I hope not.
-And the food.
-I don't know.
[Iman]
No, I think they wouldn't
charge us to use our house,
-I don't think.
-I really want to contribute.
It's just,
I just got my house,
and you all know
-my money's tied up
in that right now.
-[Umi] That's fine.
I can do, like, 2000 cash.
1500. The 500 by next week.
Okay, good. Good.
Muhammad... you just finished
a movie, right?
I'll take care of it.
I'll take care. How much is it?
It's 12,000 left to pay.
Yep.
I'll go take care of it today.
Thank you, son.
-[Kevin] This is...
-[papers rustling]
Muhammad.
Good seeing you, Kevin.
Hey, you know what?
He never stopped
talking about you.
I want you to know that.
Here, this is for you.
Hey, I'm proud of you.
Don't look away from me.
I'm proud of you.
So, so proud of you.
Man, I appreciate you
looking out on these contracts.
That's good looking out on that.
You know them kind of cats,
they ain't paying us no mind
but you.
[laughs]
Oh, Muhammad, you done
walked us right into them
golden doors, man.
Anyway, I figure it's best
for you to close them out.
A couple of people owe us.
You can add that too,
if you want it. I don't know.
You can handle it, right?
Muhammad, come on, man.
These your friends.
And I don't need...
These your people.
Besides, you know
Khalid run the business.
I know my station.
I quite like it.
Hey.
[pensive string music]
You remember, you was
a little boy, we'd take you
on them rides, huh?
You'd jump right in.
You ain't have an ounce of fear.
Jump on back in.
Hey. Hey.
[music continues]
I got it!
[papers rustling]
Y'all and your trucks.
You used to beg him
to buy a new one.
That thing had,
like, 300,000 miles on it.
[sniffs, exhales]
What did Kevin want?
I got somewhere to be.
It looked serious.
-Iman.
-Okay, let's go, then.
[truck beeping]
[engine starts]
I know what you were trying
to say.
What were you trying to say?
It's Rahman, right?
Yeah.
You didn't even cry.
It's up here
on the, on the left, right?
Hold on. I can look it up.
[pensive music]
[Muhammad]
Yeah, I need an advance.
Exactly. I want you
to double up the payments.
Yeah, double...
Who said that?
Well, what do you mean, am I,
am I good for it? I mean...
How long have I been
with the agency?
Of course I'm good for it.
[sighs]
[pensive music]
[Imam Amir]
Muhammad.
Have a seat.
Sit down, Muhammad.
Anything I ever needed
done around here,
-he just made everything better.
-Can I get you this tomorrow?
Tomorrow?
I got a credit union
in California every time
I come to the D.
I got a problem
with... [chuckles] my ATM card,
uh, limit, uh, text, and call,
-and, and then with
a big purchase, it's even worse.
-[sighs]
It's like, you know,
Detroit, think about it.
These billionaires,
they ain't got no problem
with no credit.
You come somewhere--
It's my money.
I can't get a hold of my money,
-so they put a day hold on it.
You gotta call, you know--
-Tomorrow.
Inshallah, tomorrow.
[people praying in Arabic]
[thuds]
[sighs]
[munching]
Is that one of
your new projects?
-[Muhammad] Huh?
-[chuckles softly]
One of your movies?
Yeah, sure.
You know, I wanted
to act before.
[laughs] I even took classes
and everything.
It was a whole thing,
but, um, you know, life.
It's too late now.
Never too late.
Hm.
You know, he told me
you brought him out there once
for one of your premieres.
[Lisa]
Mm-hm.
Mm.
Yeah, the after party.
He was just out kicking it.
Like, he was young... healthy.
-Must be nice.
-Yeah.
No, I mean, it must be nice
to be able to fly people places.
I can barely afford
to fly myself here. [chuckles]
-Our new sister. [chuckles]
-[Lisa chuckles softly]
So, um, we were all thinking
we should order a movie.
We realize that you just
finished a movie, so...
No.
-Come on.
-No.
Music is off, the sound,
the sound's not right.
Come on.
[Lisa snickers]
[floorboards creaking]
[Iman sighs]
-[sighs]
-[Umi] Have you seen it?
[Iman]
No, I haven't. I'm excited.
-[Raina] I don't think
I've ever seen it.
-[Iman] He did mention
-the color
was gonna be off, so...
-[Umi] Mm.
[Iman]
I wonder what
this is going to be about.
[upbeat hip-hop music]
[traffic humming]
[ambient music]
[crowd chatter]
[truck door clicks]
All right, let's do this.
[Reed]
Uh, Richards
for the, for the lobby.
I think it would be fantastic.
It is, uh, what you call
a work in progress.
Door's a little squeaky
in here. [chuckles]
Can't deal with squeaky doors.
[chuckles]
You know what I'm saying?
Well, this is not
an old, decrepit
Detroit breakdown building.
This is a new structure.
That's the reason why I came by.
Yes, why are you here?
[paper rustling]
[Reed]
Uh-huh.
[laughs] Come on, Mo.
You were given this
to give to me?
He couldn't come here
and give it to me personally?
-Reed, don't do that. Reed.
-Man to man and face to face?
And you know what?
I'm not accepting it.
So, take it back.
-Thank you very much.
-Reed.
Let me tell you something.
A lot of things were promised,
and those things
were never done.
-They were never done on time.
-Okay.
And that is why
we are not opening on time.
-Look, he did good work.
-Squeaky doors.
No, no, he did good work, right?
Put it this way.
It seemed like
he was sick a lot.
-Because he was sick.
-And he's okay now?
No, he's dead now.
Uh, yeah.
-[Muhammad]
Thirty days, 60 days.
-I think I have to go.
-[Muhammad] No, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
-In, in 30--
Reed, Reed, don't do that.
In 30 days,
I'm going to be installing
a Jean-Michel Basquiat original,
and I will not be looking at
an invoice
from your late stepfather.
Please take it.
[Jay laughing]
Mo-ham! What's up, baby?
[upbeat music]
Brother, salud.
[snorts]
We already hired somebody else.
Missed a few days.
Bunch of days, actually,
a couple of weeks ago.
We had to.
I mean, I'll get
his last check to you.
Thirty, 60 days. It's good?
Just got to clear it
through the bank.
Mr. Khalid helped
rebuild this place, you know?
He'll always have a home
at the Metropolitan.
Free drinks
whenever he comes in here.
We brought this place
back to life, all of us.
[slow-tempo music]
[people laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
-We have never owned Downtown.
-[man] Fair.
When you look at Brooklyn,
you're looking at Baltimore,
you're looking at DC,
you look at Detroit,
Black ownership has soul.
Damn, man.
sh*t, he probably helped
save my marriage, man.
He did?
-[man] Absolutely.
-[people laughing]
Absolutely!
[people laughing]
They love you.
They would love to see you.
Oh, damn, man,
you just can't come in here
and not see your people, man.
We going to finish that project.
Okay.
And he has a partner, Kevin.
But I don't give a f*ck
about that house right now.
-How is he
in the ground already?
-It's a Muslim funeral.
We gotta bury him
in less than three days.
Why didn't you tell me, brother?
Hm?
Okay. I was traveling.
I was busy.
I thought you came
last night, Muhammad.
This morning.
Dre said he saw you
at the club last night.
Time zones, stuff like that.
Jesus, Mo.
-[coughing]
-You all right?
Look, look.
Kevin. Good brother.
He'll handle the project.
You ain't got to pay me now.
You don't got to pay me now.
Okay? You ain't got
to pay me now, buddy.
-[lively music]
-[indistinct chatter]
...edge of me
Hoping light comes through
Baby, hold me
Like the night sky
holds a mood
Silly colors rushing me
And some I can't undo
I hold my tongue to hide
the things I can't deny
I been cutting out
these things in me
To make me feel all right
I've tried
All these things
just don't feel right
Baby, it's all for
Feeling like
[breathing heavily]
-[Iman] Sister Safiyah.
-[crockery clattering]
Sister Safiyah,
um, brought all this.
A Senegalese dish.
-[Iman] He loved
Senegalese food.
-[Raina] Hm.
-Jamaican food too.
-[Iman] Mm.
That's New York for you, though.
Every country in the world
right there.
He explored them all,
but he didn't travel much.
He traveled
the East Coast states.
-That's it. Oh, and of course,
when he left New York...
-[Yusuf] Mm.
...to come here.
[Umi clears throat]
[Muhammad]
Did you guys, um,
-finish up the film?
-[Umi] Mm-hm. Yeah.
-[Raina] Yeah, we finished it.
-Yes. Mm-hm.
-[chuckles]
-We finished it.
I am so proud of you.
You know,
we are so proud of you.
You did that.
[Umi]
Oh, you are always making things
that are so interesting, honey.
-[chuckles softly]
-Mm.
-[Muhammad] "Interesting"?
-[Umi] Mm-hm.
I mean, well, you said that
it wasn't all the way
complete, right?
Like, the sound wasn't right.
-There were some scenes missing.
-I didn't say anything
about scenes being missing.
Oh, okay.
Never mind. Never mind.
I'm sure that once
all that stuff is finalized,
-it'll be a whole
different story.
-[Raina] Mm.
A whole, a whole different vibe.
Different experience.
-Yeah.
-Different experience.
-[Iman] Different.
-It's like the tire
of a car.
Tire's like one
of a thousand parts.
If it's flat,
even if it's too low,
it's gonna shake, and that
throws everything off.
[Raina]
Mm-hm.
You just need to fix the tire.
-Tires, transmission, brake.
-[Umi] Mm.
[indistinct murmur]
-The AC. All that.
-[Iman] The windshield wiper.
-Mm-hm.
-Gotta have a paint job.
[chuckles]
-[Iman] Paint job too.
-[Raina] Yeah, 'cause outside.
-But definitely a tune-up.
-[Raina] Mm.
I liked your film.
I thought it was very good.
It's my opinion.
[cutlery clinking]
-This food is really spicy.
[chuckles] I'm saying, right?
-[Yusuf whistles]
-[Umi] Mm-hm. It is spicy.
-[Iman] Yeah.
-[Iman] It is spicy.
-[Yusuf] Right?
[pensive music]
So thankful for you doing this.
Such late notice. Thank you.
[film club president]
And if that's not enough,
Abdullah has several projects
he's writing and developing
with independent
and major studios alike.
Please help me to welcome
one of our own,
Wayne State University's alum,
Muhammad Abdullah.
[student whoops]
It, it's okay. He just went
to the bathroom.
-Yeah!
-[students applauding]
-[film club president]
So good to meet you.
-[chuckles]
Mo. Call me Mo.
Go, Warriors!
[chuckles]
I didn't prepare anything
for riffing it. Conversation.
[film professor]
Why don't we start
with your start?
From making films in Detroit
all the way to LA.
Working with
the biggest studios.
Well, that's a bio.
[chuckles] Right?
[claps] Don't want
to hear that again.
No, we want to hear
all of that, right?
-[scattered applause]
-[film club president] Yeah.
Let's move on.
Okay.
I have one.
What advice would you give
to aspiring artists like us
who may have dreams of one day
going to New York or LA
and becoming working filmmakers?
[smacks lips]
I think that you should, um...
You position yourself.
Don't.
Excuse me?
I said don't.
I think he means
don't, don't move there
unless you're ready, right?
I used to help build things...
when I was a boy.
Twelve, 13.
Cleaning, mostly.
Hammering and hauling things.
We would work...
...hard...
...and they would pay us for it.
Over time,
a building would rise,
and it would stay there,
probably for the rest
of my life.
This is the D.
Things are made here,
forged here.
Men and women, they, they commit
to make sure these cars,
and these planes, and these
weapons, that they get built...
...and they get paid for it.
And you can see the results
of their hard work.
But out there...
...I get excited.
I get used to when
we're gonna build a thing.
A film, a show.
You write it,
you fall in love with it.
And every character is alive.
Then you become a salesman.
You become a showman.
You try to prove
to business people
that your art is legitimate...
...only for them to say no.
[chuckles]
No. No, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no
over and over and over
and over and over.
No, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no.
No!
[chuckles]
No.
[sighs]
They string you along.
For weeks... sometimes months,
sometimes years.
They smile at you...
...the whole way.
This is the part
that no one tells you.
You're making it more glamorous
than what it is.
Those assembly lines,
construction,
breaks people down, whole lives,
toiling, until their death.
At least here...
...people know
what's k*lling 'em.
[pensive string music]
[Kevin over phone]
What up, dawg?
Mo, you handle it?
Mo, I'm talking to you.
You handled that?
Look, man, I ain't never
asked you for much.
I just need this, okay?
I need it done, baby.
I need, I need this done,
my baby.
We, we need closure on this.
So, I need you to handle that,
all right?
[sighs]
It's to the man who convinced me
to bring my restaurant
to the hood.
He didn't drink.
You can drink in Heaven.
[Pam]
What happened to him?
His heart.
A blood thing.
A blood, a blood thing?
Notice that you had a lot
of different appointments
with um, installations
with a pool.
I mean, like,
who, who, who needs
a f*cking pool out here?
It-- it's only hot like, what,
th-- three, four months
out of the year?
Assessments.
I really just needed him.
I just needed him to talk to me.
-He, he made me feel
like I would be okay.
-[cell phone vibrating]
[papers rustling]
[pensive string music]
-[Muhammad speaks indistinctly]
-[both chuckle]
-Uh-uh.
-[Muhammad mutters]
Don't make me laugh
while I'm drinking it.
All right, my turn.
[sighs] Burn or drown?
Drown.
If, if you burn,
there's nothing left.
[Asia]
Wait. So, you
more worried about
how they gonna see you
when you dead
versus how it'll feel
when you die?
[scoffs]
Okay.
Okay.
All right, go on.
[Asia]
Either one will be just fine.
They're both quick.
I don't wanna suffer
for too long.
Wait. You remember
when it was hard to travel,
to, like, go over the border?
Can you believe
n*gg*s was talking
about swimming to Canada?
[chuckles]
n*gg*s was never talking
about swimming to Canada.
Yes, they were.
You weren't even here.
But then they'd always
follow it up
with some dumb sh*t,
talkin' 'bout,
"Yo, but the currents.
Like, I would swim,
but the currents,
the currents are so strong
under here."
[chuckles]
You can't even see it.
How the hell they know?
You ever know someone who's been
taken by the currents?
Crazy underneath.
Yeah.
[Asia chuckles]
[Asia grunts]
-[electronic music]
-[voices vocalizing]
[music continues]
[shower running]
[shower running]
[sighs]
Do you, uh,
do you have a... you know,
like, a shirt or something?
Yeah.
Hey.
Keep it.
Can you stop
looking at me like that?
[Asia sighs]
Don't do that. Don't act like
I didn't feel what I felt.
I know what's in my chest.
You check it out?
-Do you see if it was really--
-It could be nothing,
it could be something.
Either way, I'm good.
All right, look, I don't need
no f*cking doctor
telling me I got
one or two months to live.
I'm just going to live...
[sighs] like I got
one or two months.
-All right?
-[keys jangling]
I'm just trying to have fun.
f*ck this world.
It's too f*cking much.
So, I'm just going...
[sighs] to have fun.
-[bottle shatters]
-I mean, at least
I was having fun
until your depressing a*s
showed up.
-I'm trying to listen to you.
-[exhales]
-Okay?
-You know, what do you want me
to say, huh? [sniffs]
You want me to say
I got cancer? [scoffs]
sh*t, it could have been A*DS,
and your a*s was ready
to f*ck me raw
-the other night. [sighs]
-Don't f*cking say that.
People die from that.
People really f*cking die
from that sh*t, man.
Yeah. And guess what?
People die from this.
-You know?
People die doing this...
-[keys jangling]
...while drinking that.
Oh, wait a minute.
[places keys on table]
Yo, you're the one
that gets to decide
what we talk about, though, huh?
You know, you's a f*ck n*gga.
-I ain't got to deal
with this sh*t.
-[keys jangle]
[Asia groans]
[sighs]
Tonight was fun.
[tense music]
What's in the bag?
[clattering]
[music intensifies]
-No, it's all the same.
Same, same...
-[laughing]
...same, same, all of it.
-Literally all of it.
-What does it mean?
[stutters] Nature, and God.
I mean, you up here talking
about the nature of God.
-God is nature, nature is God.
-Okay. Okay.
Okay? [chuckles]
-Okay. Ow!
-Okay?
-That's it?
-[both chuckle]
Okay, look. Let me tell you
something. I know,
I know why you chose to drown.
-Your a*s is scared
to burn in hell, ain't you?
-I'm not scared. No.
-I ain't scared!
-Wait, you believe
in hell, my dude?
Wow, you believe in hell.
[ambient music]
I, I just-- I think it's,
I think it's some bullshit.
-Go on. Go on.
-So...
You know, men are always
making up some dumb sh*t.
Have you scared to your knees,
telling babies that sh*t
when they, like, five,
three years old.
Talking about that--
If they make a mistake,
they're gonna burn
in hell for eternity.
I'm like... [scoffs]
Like, if they, if they, if they,
if they love wrong
or they love too early
or they love
without the permission
of church or state.
That's just man sh*t.
-[chuckles]
-Have you ever actually
considered eternity?
-Like, really.
-So, so nothing really matters?
We're not responsible?
Okay, I didn't,
I didn't say that.
I didn't say that.
Wait, wait. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
No, no, no, no, no. I didn't say
that we're not responsible
for anything. But, but
have you ever met someone
who is so horrible
and ain't in hell?
You, you said, you said
you don't believe in hell.
-Oh, my God.
You need to keep up.
-You said that.
-No, no, you need to stay
on the f*cking topic.
-She is on topic!
Oh, the nature of her.
-[chuckles] "Her"?
-[Asia chuckles]
The divine, baby.
Oh. [grunts] Of course, her.
Her, him, all.
Nature.
[siren wailing in distance]
[laughs]
So, so what, so what, what,
what the f*ck are we, then?
What?
We are here to live... fully...
[sighs]
with everything we got...
...with whatever we got.
[sighs] So, what's the ticket?
Ten pills?
How about some bumps?
sh*t, we may have did 50 bumps
the other night.
Would that get me a ticket
into eternity?
What are you doing?
What am I doing? [chuckles]
What am I doing?
-I am talking to you...
-[sighs]
...about... the single
greatest question...
...that everyone
on this Earth has...
...but no one...
not a single one of us
has the answer.
[ambient music continues]
[breathes deeply]
[Asia grunts softly]
[Asia snoring softly]
[ambient music continues]
-[workers speaking indistinctly]
-[tools clanking]
[tools clattering]
[music continues]
-[tires screeching]
-[crashing]
[crickets chirping]
[clattering]
[beeping]
Oh, sh*t. [thuds, grunts]
-[grunts]
-[siren wailing in distance]
[beeping continues]
[grunting]
[beeping continues]
[sighs]
[ambient music]
[music continues]
[clattering]
[Muhammad breathing heavily]
-[Akil]
Bro, what the f*ck happened?
-[door closes]
Truck ran me off
the g*dd*mn road.
-You was in that?
-Mm-hm.
All right. Detroit Receiving
around the corner, man.
No, no, f*ck that.
That sh*t be packed.
I'm taking your a*s
to Henry Ford, man.
No, no, no, no. I'm fine.
I'm fine.
-I'm fine.
-If you was in that car,
you can't be fine, bro.
All right, good. Look.
Help is on the way, all right?
They can check you
when they get here.
-Hey.
-[siren wailing]
Oh, sh*t.
-Oh, hell no.
-Hey, you been drinking?
What?
Think you've been drinking?
You had any alcohol?
Anything like that?
I was asleep.
All right.
-All right, so--
-What the f*ck is you on, man?
When they come up,
you're gonna get out.
You're gonna talk to them.
You're gonna tell them that
a truck ran you off the road.
Yo, what?
-Oh, hell no.
-If I talk to 'em,
they're gonna make me
blow that breathalyzer, so...
How you gonna ask me to do
some sh*t like that, man?
-Huh?
-They're gonna send me
to prison, man.
They're gonna send me
to prison, bro.
-I get another DUI,
they're gonna take me to prison.
-[sighs]
-Here we go with the bullshit,
Muhammad.
-[police radio chatter]
Look, I'm not going.
-[Muhammad] Come on, man.
They coming.
-Come on, here.
You ain't gonna help?
-I'm not getting out this truck.
Hey, come on, now. Come on, now.
-[Akil] No, I'm not getting out
this truck.
-Come on.
-No, man. I'm not getting out
this f*cking truck, man!
-Go, man!
-No! I'm not going out there.
-Get going.
-I'm not going out there.
-Go, bro.
Go, go, go, go, go, go.
-Go, go, go, go, go.
-[Akil] Muhammad, man, look.
-Look, if I had a g*n,
I'd sh**t you right there!
-Go, go, go.
Man, f*ck you.
I'm getting out of here.
Officer, I'm approaching now.
Look at my hands.
-See?
-[officer 1] Show me your hands.
[Akil]
I'm approaching
right now, Officer.
You see my hands?
[officer 1]
This your car?
-[Akil] Can we talk about it?
-[officer 2] You been drinking?
[Akil]
Look, I'm, I'm good.
Ain't no--
ain't nothing wrong, Officer.
[officer 2]
Put your hands
behind your head, man.
-[Akil] All right, he can take
his hands off the g*n.
-Hands behind your head.
Hands behind your head.
-Not a threat.
-Put your hands
behind your head, man.
Hands behind your head.
Get on your knee.
-Get on your knees, man.
-Down on your knees.
[ambient music]
[officer 1]
You been drinking? Yes or no?
No, I have not been drinking.
Um...
...actually,
I don't drink, Officer.
[officer 1] Okay. All right,
you got your driver's license
with you?
Yes, I do, Officer.
I got my, um,
registration, um, insurance.
I have it all.
It's in my vehicle.
I'm just a little scared
right now, sir. So...
[softly] I'm sorry, brother.
I'm sorry, brother. I'm sorry.
You a real one for that.
Yeah.
Your mom's, right?
Nah, I got to go to Hertz.
[Muhammad sighs]
What?
I got somewhere to be.
Another place.
Did you have insurance
on that one?
Insurance's a f*cking scam.
[sighs] So, how you going?
It's, uh, it's fine, man.
It's fine.
I'ma, I'ma just pay
for that one.
-It's fine, man.
-It's fine?
This is fine?
Wow, bro.
Wow.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[intense pensive music]
[cell phone vibrating]
I'm on my way.
[Umi]
Can, can you meet
your sister first?
What, Umi?
[Umi]
Muhammad,
are you questioning me?
[keys jangling]
[door closes]
[Iman]
I need your help with something.
-What?
-A project he was working on.
It was one of
his biggest things.
Come on.
[AA leader]
Grant me the serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change,
courage to change
the things I can,
and wisdom
to know the difference.
Alcoholics Anonymous is
a fellowship of men and women
who share their experiences,
strength,
and hope that we may solve
our common problem
and help others
recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement
for membership
is a desire to stop drinking.
Are there any alcoholics here
other than myself?
Welcome back.
Are there any newcomers in
their first 30 days of sobriety?
If so, please stand,
tell us your name
and your length of sobriety.
My name is Jim,
and I'm, I'm an alcoholic.
I, uh...
It's been a long road.
I've been...
I lost my wife...
-...most of my family,
all my friends...
-[speaking indistinctly]
-[Iman] Muhammad.
-...and I just... I don't know.
-I take every day
as it comes. Every day.
-[speaks indistinctly]
[AA leader]
Thank you, Jim.
Are there any visitors from
another fellowship, city, or...
It's okay, honey.
Take your time.
[Iman sighs]
Um, he's, uh, both.
Um, first 30 days,
and, uh, from out of town.
-[chuckles nervously]
-[chair scrapes]
-My brother.
-[Muhammad] Hm.
-Come on, tell 'em. Tell 'em.
-What?
[AA leader]
Um, sorry.
That's not how
we do things here.
What?
I thought you were supposed
to help people.
-[AA leader] If he needs help,
there's this program...
-[Iman] Wait. No.
-...with the help of God.
-I don't come here.
-[AA leader]
However, you may s--
-[chair clatters]
-Muhammad. Muhammad.
-I'm sorry, y'all.
-[Iman]
Don't you want to end it?
-[Muhammad] Sorry, folks.
-[Iman] Please.
-Good luck.
Good luck, everybody.
-Good luck, y'all.
Y'all are good.
-[Iman sobs]
I'm sorry. [sobs]
-I'm sorry.
-[AA leader] Don't be.
We'll be here.
You cannot bring him here.
He has to come.
Akil came by.
He told me what happened.
Muhammad, you need help.
Come back inside.
-I cannot believe--
Get off of me.
-You don't have to say anything.
-Stop. What is that?
-Just listen. Just listen.
-Listen-- No.
No, I don't believe--
-Something might resonate.
-Just listen.
-People drink.
Iman, people drink.
And most people, they drink.
Why aren't you drinking?
I can't believe you did this.
With everything
we got going on today.
-Never.
-Don't you know he would
have wanted it?
-He--
-You believe that.
[truck beeping]
[seat belt clatters]
[engine starts]
[engine idling]
[pensive music]
[door closes]
[pensive string music]
[door clicks, creaks]
[sighs]
-[speaks indistinctly]
-[man chanting Quran on speaker]
Hey, how you doing?
How we doing this?
I just wanted to see
if I could, you know...
Muhammad... you know we got you.
[chanting continues]
[Umi sighs]
[chanting continues]
[breathes deeply]
[Lisa]
There's nothing
in either account.
[Umi]
Goodness.
There was
no life insurance plan?
-Mm-mm.
-Like, there was nothing?
They don't give life insurance
to people with what he had.
[stutters] With what he had.
Just say it.
Just say it, Umi.
[Umi sighs]
Did you see
what was in the box?
-Excuse me.
-Mm-hm.
[Umi sniffles]
[Muhammad]
Hey, Kevin, it's Mo.
[Kevin]
Muhammad.
Oh, man, I'm glad you called.
Yeah. I, uh, I found something
at his place.
A project, but it wasn't a part
of the documents you gave me.
[Kevin]
Muhammad, we've done
a lot of projects, man.
[Muhammad]
Yeah, it's like...
the neighborhood.
The destroyed one.
Kevin?
[Kevin]
Far too early to tell,
you know, but...
...but we gonna figure it out.
In the meantime,
we came in when we could,
with what we can.
Brick, mortar... wood, concrete.
No matter what they say,
ain't nobody coming back
to save Detroit.
Nobody.
We gonna save Detroit.
Sometimes we bring the kids up
in here, you know,
teach them how to get
their hands dirty.
It takes time, though.
You working them kids as hard
as y'all was working us,
though, right?
No sh*t. Yeah, you know,
them childs were different.
Y'all boys were tough.
Oh, they ain't have child labor
laws back then, right?
-Yeah, see,
I don't know about all that.
-[laughs]
I remember working
in the basement.
Humza, Omar.
Wood, rusty nails.
I almost got amputated.
One of them, them rusty nails
almost punctured me.
-[both laugh]
-It did.
It did.
The worst part of it
was that y'all,
y'all paid us about $20 each.
-Me?
-You.
You. You and him.
Hell, I was young too, man.
You know, when you're young,
everyone look older, man.
Especially when you done
lived some kind of life.
Ooh, I done lived
some kind of life.
You have too.
[ambient music]
[footsteps crunching]
[sighs]
That 30 minutes, or hour,
when we first get on a job...
...y'all would stay
in the truck.
Remember that?
He ain't never want you
to see any of this.
He would make sure that
we picked up every single one.
And he would too,
every last one of 'em.
He never said how y'all met.
Yeah.
He made your life better,
didn't he?
Of course.
Well, he saved mine.
[sighs]
[door closes]
I never could fit
in his clothes... or his shoes.
Neither could he.
Him getting smaller,
me getting bigger.
But I think he knew
that I would try this on.
And that's why
he left this here.
-What?
-[paper rustles]
Are you serious?
-How, how much is it?
-Fifteen.
-[Yusuf] Oh. Alhamdulillah.
-Thousand?
Let me see this.
That's enough
to cover everything.
[Yusuf praying in Arabic]
-Do you see, Umi?
-[Iman sighs]
I'm gonna go handle the balance.
I'll go with you.
Yeah, I haven't managed
to get anything accomplished
with this other stuff.
It's the least I could do to
be helpful in some way, right?
That'll be nice.
Y'all go ahead, baby.
You need this?
[Yusuf]
You see how Allah
is looking out? Do you see?
-[Iman] Thanks, Lisa.
-Yeah, of course.
[ambient music]
[Muhammad exhales]
Where you going?
Oh, I got a rental car too.
Yeah, I'll follow you.
Yeah.
[Muhammad]
Yeah, I heard
everything that you said.
Hey, I'm, I'm gonna
just jump in.
Oh, my God,
I've never been to a,
-a Muslim
funeral home before.
-I'm almost-- [stutters]
I'm almost done.
I just-- I, I need this...
Oh, oh. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I get it.
-It's getting hot.
-Hey.
[studio executive]
I'm here.
So, what were you saying?
Yeah, I don't,
I don't agree with
anything that you just said.
-What are you trying to prove?
-[Muhammad] Hey, hold on.
That's not just coming from me.
The investors...
[whispering] These guys
are trying to tell me what to do
with my own film.
Muhammad, I meant it
when I said I liked your film.
I can tell
by the way it moved me.
You gotta follow your gut.
Thank you.
Look, why don't you handle that
and I'll handle this?
It's the least I could do.
Let me do something for him.
-[studio executive] Mo. Mo.
-[sighs]
Hey, hold, hold on. Look.
Bring this to Imam Amir.
-Imam Amir.
-Imam Amir.
-Imam Amir. Okay.
-I'll be right in afterward.
-Oh, okay.
-All right?
-All right.
-Okay.
[studio executive]
Okay, I'm getting off.
Hey, I'm back. Look, I'm back.
[studio executive]
Are you? Like, what the hell's
been going on?
Let's, let's get to it.
Let's get to it.
Look, I'm, I'm trying
to just make the best movie
that I possibly could make
for you right now.
You haven't been returning
my emails, texts.
When I finally do get you,
you sound depressed
the whole time.
Luxury problems,
good problems to have.
-Uh-huh.
-I know people
with real problems, Mo.
[chuckles softly]
All right, let's come out
and say it.
Because you, because you asked
for the advance,
the studio, um, we'd, we'd like
an assurance too.
We'd like some insurance too.
Is, we'd, we'd like to retain
final cut of the picture.
Wait. What...
Listen, I'm, I'm, I'm guaranteed
for the projects.
I'm, I'm, like--
I-- I'm collateral, all right?
You're collateral, but looks
like we're gonna need
to retain final cut.
-[cell phone vibrating]
-Look, Mo,
let's just-- All right.
I got a call coming in.
I gotta take this.
-[cell phone beeps]
-Brother Amir.
[Imam Amir]
I saw you sitting outside
in your car.
You said you'd pay today.
What's going on, brother?
-[tense music]
-[knuckles rapping]
[Umi]
What's going on?
Where's Lisa?
She's at the airport.
Yes, what is it, Muhammad?
[indistinct announcement
over PA system]
...that we will be
boarding shortly.
Please make your way
to gate 138.
Please make your way
to gate 138.
[tense music continues]
[breathing heavily]
-Why are you doing,
why are you doing this?
-[Lisa gasps]
-Excuse me. I have a plane
to catch. [gasps]
-You're not going anywhere.
Give me back the money
that you stole.
Think about it. I will scream.
I will scream.
Let me go.
What are you doing?
-I'm gonna miss you.
-Stop. What are you doing?
I'm gonna miss you, sis.
I'm gonna miss you.
-What are you doing? Stop. Stop!
-Give it back.
Think about it.
Think about where you are.
Think about it, Muhammad.
You reek of alcohol.
You probably just bought
a f*cking ticket.
Think about it. Think about it.
Okay?
Who are they gonna believe?
Calm down.
Your name's Muhammad.
Still, you want to try me?
[voice breaking]
When I came here...
[man talking indistinctly]
I wanted to, I wanted to hate
y'all when I came here.
Okay?
[sobs]
Your, your family...
...that my father left
New York for.
But I get it. I get it.
I understand.
He needed to, okay? I get it.
And your family helped him
do that, okay?
Thank you. Thank you.
But I'm his daughter. [sobbing]
I'm his daughter.
I'm his daughter.
And you are his son. Hm.
I had him just like this,
like you.
Suffering, f*cking broken,
an addict.
He did what he had to do.
I get it.
After he lost everything.
I understand.
Muhammad, what are you gonna do?
What are you gonna do?
Huh?
[sobs]
Let me go.
Please just let me go.
[pensive music]
[music continues]
Oh, my God!
-[vehicle honking]
-Oh, my God!
[door opens]
[door closes]
-[Umi] So?
-[Muhammad] She's gone.
-What?
-I didn't get it.
So, you went to the airport.
They let you into the terminal?
-[Muhammad] They ain't let me.
-Okay, so how did you get in?
I bought a ticket.
[Iman]
Why would you buy a ticket?
Because I can take it back.
I, I, I took it back
before the flight left off.
You took the ticket back bef--
Or you, or you were going
to take the ticket back?
It just... You know,
it don't make any sense.
-What is this?
-Muhammad!
Stop beating around the bush.
Just ask him
what you want to ask him.
Muhammad! Did she take
that money?
-Did she?
-[Umi] Iman.
-Tell me
if she took that money.
-We don't...
-No! No!
-...assume these things about--
I need to say
what everybody's thinking.
Are y'all serious?
You found the money
in the bedroom,
you left with the money.
You're the only one here
who counted all of it.
[Muhammad]
Umi, are you hearing this?
I'm the one that was gonna pay
for it anyway!
[Iman]
But you didn't!
You didn't pay for it!
You have a lot of things
going on, and we know
you couldn't have paid for it.
If you were gonna pay for it,
you would have already paid
for it.
She's right.
You're walking around here,
all these walls up.
-[Muhammad] Walls?
-[Umi sighs]
Everybody can't break down
around here!
This is strength!
I gotta handle stuff!
[Umi]
Who told you
that you had to be strong?
Ain't that what you want
from me, Umi?
Huh? Iman?
That's what I do.
I take care of things.
When did I tell you
I wanted you to handle it?
You ain't have to.
What are you talking
about, Muhammad?
Hm?
-It don't matter.
-Oh, it matters.
It matters right now
more than it's ever mattered.
Tell me.
You know, when
you and Khalid separated...
I get it.
-I understand you were afraid...
-[sighs]
...for years, not knowing
if you was going to get it.
Right?
The fear campaigns...
...those ads,
they were everywhere.
After some bad months.
And he had lost 100 pounds.
And there was nothing left.
And I saw the shock in your face
when you wrapped
your arms around him.
And you told him
you needed to go to another,
another room so that
you could make a phone call.
And I followed you in there.
And... I had never
seen anyone cry
that hard in my entire life.
You...
Umi, you were needing something
then... [sobbing]
[Umi sighs]
[inhales]
-[sniffles]
-And I held you.
[sniffles] I held you.
And I picked myself back up
and then I went back
into that room.
And then I smiled at him...
...and I acted
like nothing ever happened.
[Umi sniffles]
I was 18.
-But it was good for me.
-[sniffles]
Because I knew
that I could do that.
I knew that I could handle it.
I knew that I could be a man
of the house.
But if that's
what I got to do...
...if I got to hold mine in...
...so that the rest of y'all
can be free...
[sniffs] I'm okay with that.
-No. No, no, no.
-Yes. I'll own that.
-I don't want that for you.
-I am a man.
No, no, no.
I don't want that for you.
I want you to let go.
We are here for you too.
We're here for you, baby.
We're here for you to lean on.
-[Iman] Muhammad.
-Muhammad.
-[Umi] Muhammad.
-[Iman] Muhammad!
-[Umi] Muhammad.
-[door opens]
[Yusuf]
Let him walk.
[Yusuf]
Let him walk.
[tense ambient music]
[man]
This...
You be careful with this.
This sh*t will send you
to the twilight zone.
[muffled hip-hop music]
[tense ambient music continues]
[smacking lips]
[indistinct chatter]
[tense ambient music continues]
[muted]
["Eyes" by Moza Kaliza]
Eyes watchin' me
I got 'em b*tches mad, damn
2:33 and I'm still
goin' hard, damn
I'll buy ya building
just to burn it down, damn
Phone keeps on ringin'
but ain't callin' back, damn
Eyes watchin' me
I got 'em b*tches mad
damn...
Asia!
I think we need
to get out of here.
I really need to talk
to you right now.
Come on.
You left me.
No, baby.
No, baby.
I got in a car accident.
Eyes watchin' me
I got 'em b*tches mad
Damn...
You left me...
...by my f*cking self.
No, baby.
No.
No.
Eyes have seen
what ma mind couldn't believe
Makin' laws
'bout women couple
misogynists would agree...
Leave me alone.
Leave me alone!
Okay, I just want to have fun!
[song changes abruptly]
I just want to have fun.
[upbeat rap music]
Go.
It's f*cking me up
Kinda used to it
I wanna see everybody win
everybody healing
Y'all wanna see these wins
It's f*cking me up
It's cool
I'm about to unleash
I'm about to flex
on all the m*therf*ckers here
Ain't no cap in my rap
It's all facts
Pull up, n*gga...
I'ma...
I'ma get married and have kids!
I wanna live!
Asia!
[rap music continues]
[pensive music]
[music continues]
[lock clicks]
[sniffs]
-[clattering]
-[engine starts]
["Surah Yaseen"
by Qari Tareq Mohammed
over speakers]
[engine idling]
["Surah Yaseen" continues]
[construction machinery
rattling]
[bird chirping]
[Khalid]
Do you know...
...Woodward is the first street
paved in America.
So, we're gonna start here.
We're gonna work our way up
all the way up this way,
working on houses.
Develop all these houses.
You know,
I got a feeling that this,
this is gonna be something.
["Surah Yaseen" continues]
[grunts]
[grunts]
[panting]
[grunts]
["Surah Yaseen" distorts]
[exhales]
[uneasy music]
[ominous music]
[music stops]
[crickets chirping]
[cell phone vibrating]
-[Muhammad] Brother Amir.
-[Imam Amir] Muhammad.
Muhammad.
-Hey.
-I'm sorry.
Don't be.
-Muhammad.
-I'm doing everything
that I can right now.
I promise you that
I'm gonna pay you, brother.
You have my word.
I'm gonna pay you.
I'm doing everything
I can right now.
I, I, I know.
Uh, listen.
-I'm sorry.
-They, they took up...
Mu-- Mu-- Muhammad,
they took up a donation for him
at the mosque.
Some people owed a few debts.
All, all the free work he did
in the community, you know?
How much?
Eighteen.
Hundred?
Thousand.
I'll take it from that.
[sobs]
I'll take it from that,
whatever's due.
[brick, objects clatter]
[Imam Amir]
As-salamu alaykum.
Wa 'alaykumu s-salam.
Get, get some rest.
-[rubble crunches,
object clatters]
-[exhales]
[crickets chirping]
[sobs softly]
[voices echoing faintly]
[pensive music]
[breathing heavily]
Khalid.
[music continues]
[music intensifies]
[music continues]
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
["Tech W" by AM Beef]
[singers vocalizing]
[singers continue vocalizing]
[music fades]
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To Live and Die and Live (2023)
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