reda be a young frenchman of moroccan descent . despite his muslim heritage and he be very french in attitude and value . out of the blue and his father announces that reda will be drive him to the hajj ( pilgrimage ) to mecca something that reda have no interest in do but agree only out of obligation . a a result and from the start and reda be angry but be a traditional muslim man and his father be difficult to talk to or discuss his misgiving . both father and son seem very rigid and inflexible and it very ironic when the dad tell his son that he should not be so stubborn . when i read the summary and it talk about how much the character grow and begin to know each other . however and i really do not think they do and that be the fascinating and sad aspect of the film . sure and there be time of understanding and but so often there be an undercurrent of hostility and repression . i actually like this and appreciate that there wasn not complete resolution of this a it would have seem phony . overall and the film be well act and fascinate give westerner an unusual insight into islam and the hajj . it also provide a fascinating juxtaposition of traditional islam and the secular young generation . while the slow pace and lack of clarity about the relationship throughout the film may annoy some and i think it give the film intense realism and make it look like a film about people not some formula . a nice and unusual film .