Walter Vale, a Connecticut College economics professor, goes through life robotically, lacking enthusiasm. Despite teaching a course for 20 years, he fails to provide a syllabus well into the new semester and shows little respect for his students.
Outside of work, Walter pretends to work on a book he hasn’t made progress on and takes piano lessons to remember his late wife, a concert pianist. He recently fired his fifth piano teacher.
When asked to present a paper at a conference by his department chair, Charles, Walter declines, admitting he hasn’t read the paper. Charles insists, and Walter reluctantly agrees.
House Republicans (Credits: Washington Post)
While in Manhattan for the conference, Walter discovers strangers living in his apartment. They explain they were swindled into subletting it. Tarek, an immigrant musician from Syria, and Zainab, a jewelry designer from Senegal, moved to the U.S. for a better life.
Despite the mix-up, Walter allows them to stay temporarily. Over time, they form a bond, and Walter experiences New York City anew through their eyes.
Tarek teaches Walter to play the drum, and they join a drum circle in Central Park. Tarek dreams of performing in the subway.
However, Tarek is arrested for mistakenly trying to enter the subway without paying. It is then discovered that he is in the country illegally, and he is detained for deportation.
Worried about staying alone, Zainab moves out, and Walter hires a lawyer to help Tarek. Tarek’s mother, Mouna, arrives from Michigan, and she and Walter develop a close friendship.
Despite their efforts, Tarek is deported, and Mouna decides to return to Syria. Walter takes her to the airport, and they share a touching moment before she leaves.
Left alone, Walter plays the drum in the subway, reflecting on his time with Tarek and Mouna, realizing how they enriched his life.
The story of Walter, Tarek, and Mouna highlights the transformative power of human connection and cultural exchange. It emphasizes the importance of immigration reform based on principles of fairness, compassion, and equity, rather than racial or social identity categories.
