Seven Short Films About (Our) Marriage

What do you think?

I don't know.

Hmm?

What do you think?

Who, me?

Oh, I think you look just perfect.

I can see why my little boy is head over heels for you.

Yeah.

Perfect.

That's the problem.

Isn't perfect a good thing?

It just doesn't look like me.

I'm just saying, when someone gets murdered,

they investigate the spouse first.

That tells you everything you need to know about marriage.

Come on, guys. Marriage brings a lot of great things into your life.

Like, uh, come on, guys. Help me.

- Feminine hygiene products. - Empty wallets.

They take over the bathroom.

And they withhold sex until you're in, like, actual physical pain.

I mean, so I've heard.

You guys done?

Are we all done being jealous?

- Are you guys done being jealous? - Yup.

I was wondering where everyone was hanging out for a smoke.

Yep, I think we're all done.

Sorry, sir, you can't smoke up here.

Want one?

No, no, you really can't smoke in here, though.

It's ah, policy.

Can't smoke anywhere these days.

And you guys think everyone of my generation who smokes is an idiot.

- I never said that. - Yeah, but you're thinking it.

Hey, I get it.

Smoke is not your vice.

I'm sure you have other vices.

Come on, out with it.

Chewing tobacco.

No, you are not the type.

A little too much alcohol.

Probably drank your way through college with your buddies, right?

Or is it pot?

You like that wacky weed, Noah?

Yeah. Pot's not that bad, I guess.

I tried it once.

God, that was a long time ago.

You know that whole munchies thing, it's true.

You smoked pot.

I'm not the total square you think I am.

You did just use the word square, though.

But, you know, people grow up, Noah.

And when they grow up, they usually learn that grownups aren't all idiots.

My point is...

The foundation of a marriage is

how are you going to support each other, raise a family, that sort of thing.

And you, you do not have a plan.

Sir, I'm going to grad school in the fall.

Grad school.

To be a filmmaker.

That's not a plan, son, that's a fantasy.

How many filmmakers are there in the world?

Quite a few.

And how many can buy a home and raise a family?

How many put that family first?

Sir, this might sound,

I don't know, pretentious, but...

I want to change the world.

Or whatever part of it I can impact.

And I feel like I can do that through film.

Look son,

I don't have a problem with you wanting to make movies. I mean, whatever.

I guess someone has to do that.

But it doesn't have to be the guy married to my daughter.

Now...

I need to lay down some hard truth on you

that you may not be ready to hear, but it's truth nonetheless.

And I'm a dad, so I have to say it.

Noah, you know me.

And you know how much I care about my daughter.

You know, I want the best for her

and I believe that you want the best for her, too. I really do.

So that's why we've got to talk about how difficult it is

for someone like her to be married to someone of another color.

You know, I'm not a racist, that's not my issue.

These are difficult times we live in

and I just worry about what her life will be like

and the lives of kids you might have together.

What's it like for mixed race children out there these days?

You don't want her children to start out life with a disadvantage, do you?

I know you love her

and you want what's best for her.

I want what's best for her too.

I'm willing to throw away all the money I've spent on this wedding

because I want what's best for her.

So I want you to think about,

really think about what's best from Madison.

If you really love her,

you'll do the right thing.

Okay?

Yeah.

Okay.

Good talk.

Who is it?

It's me.

What do you want?

I don't know.

Turn around.

- What? - Turn around.

Why?

Because I don't want to talk to you through a closed window,

but I also don't want you to see me before the ceremony.

Really?

Yes, really.

All right, I'm turned around.

You okay?

Are you sure you want to marry me?

What? Of course, I am.

Are you sure you want to marry me?

I want you to be happy.

That's why we're getting married.

You're not worried about our life together?

I'm anxious about starting our life together.

What you talking about?

Is being married to a Black man gonna be too difficult for us?

Noah,

we talked about this.

Where is this coming from?

Did my dad talk to you?

I'm gonna kill him.

Better yet, I'm gonna get Mom to kill him.

I thought he was over this.

My dad's views are my problem.

They're sort of my problem now.

I didn't want them to be your problem.

Can't pretend like there's not gonna be an issue.

I'm gonna see him at thanksgiving,

family gatherings all the time.

Not all the time.

Probably, hardly ever see our parents.

Do you really think he's a racist?

Don't you?

He raised me and I'm not racist.

Noah,

he's my dad.

I love him.

I don't like what he believes,

but I can't just stop loving him.

I'm not asking you to.

But what if he's right?

He's not right.

He's right that it won't be easy for us.

So, Black and white people can never be together?

- That's not what I'm saying. - Then what are you saying?

I don't know. I'm...

I'm just trying to figure out how all this is gonna work.

Aren't you?

Yeah, sometimes.

Can you imagine our families at thanksgiving dinner together?

It'll be like the meeting of the five families in The Godfather.

I can't really imagine that because I have never seen The Godfather.

Madison.

I don't like old movies.

You know, I was worried about the whole Black man

married to a white woman thing, but

now I'm worried about being married to a woman that knows nothing about

one of the classics in modern cinema.

Take my hand, Noah.

I'm not giving up just because this is going to be hard.

Of course it's gonna be hard.

I didn't expect it to happen right now, but fine.

We'll face it together.

Because there's no one else I want to face it with

and because I can't face it without you.

We're not doing this for them.

We're doing it for us.

So, you know, let's... Let's do it right here.

Do what right here?

Get married.

In a bathroom?

Well, me in the bathroom, you out there.

Why don't I just come in there?

Or you come out here.

Because we're still going to do the whole ceremony after this,

but right here, right now is for us.

You sure about this?

Do you Noah, take me, Madison, to be your lawfully wedded wife,

to have and to hold, to love and to cherish to...

hold my head when I vomit,

like, when we had those tacos from taco truck

and then you made me ride that rollercoaster

that you said wouldn't be too intense,

to not care when I want to sleep in all day

even if we had plans,

to pick up after me because I hate folding clothes

and putting them away,

to be okay with me occasionally making us late

because I'm ready to leave, when I'm ready to leave.

To remember what you love most about me,

right in the middle of a fight

and to support me as I pursue my dream