الثمن

Magdy Sabry (Amr Youssef), a business school graduate, paid a down payment on a taxi and began working on it; however, he defaulted on his installments three months ago due to his wife Hoda (Sahar El Sayegh) developing a brain tumor. Magdy has been working as a driver running errands for Dima, the second wife of attorney Safwat. Dima (Saba Mubarak) is a Syrian refugee whose school was destroyed; when she returned home, she found her house collapsed over her family. She fled Syria and ended up seeking asylum in Egypt, where attorney Safwat took her under his wing, helped her find shelter, and married her in secret. Galal Mahmoud (Abdulaziz Makhyoun) is an intellectual, literary figure, and columnist who believes that violence only begets violence, ensnaring society in an endless cycle of bloodshed, and that no matter how much we differ, dialogue is indispensable. He also speaks out against outward, superficial piety, arguing that the essence of faith lies in reflecting religious values in all our conduct. After he criticized conservative clerics, they branded him an apostate. Galal also suffers over the drug addiction of his younger brother Mohsen (Ahmed Abdallah); he withholds Mohsen's inheritance, dispensing money only in measured amounts, and has checked him into multiple rehabilitation clinics. Safwat Soliman (Salah Abdallah) is a corrupt attorney who collaborates with shady businessmen to seize land. He takes in Syrian refugee Dima and marries her to indulge his desires, treating her with cruelty and violence. He also supplies Galal's brother Mohsen with cash to buy narcotics, aiming to wrest away the brothers' land for a pittance. When Galal exposes Safwat and his associates in what becomes known as the "cement scandals," Safwat resolves to eliminate Galal on the pretext of apostasy and atheism. He exploits the desperation of Magdy, the taxi driver, who needs money to treat his sick wife, offering him half a million pounds—enough to solve all his problems—to assassinate Galal, advancing him money in installments backed by promissory notes. Magdy hesitates to carry out the murder until he can verify Galal's alleged impiety. He ingratiates himself with Galal and secures a job with him at the newspaper. Despite realizing that Galal is not an infidel and does not deserve to die, Magdy lures him into the desert and murders him, driven by his desperate need for funds to cover his wife's medical treatment. Meanwhile, Dima becomes acquainted with her neighbor Sherif (Magdy Bader), a photographer who previously worked in the Gulf alongside his wife; despite a comfortable life abroad, he could not bear exile and returned alone while his wife stayed behind. Sherif sympathizes with Dima, who confides in him about her husband's cruelty and abuse, admitting she has grown to detest him and even loathes his scent. When Safwat discovers that Dima visited Sherif in his apartment, he beats her and locks her in the bathroom; she manages to escape by sliding down the exterior drainpipes. Soon after, Magdy is devastated by his wife's death, and the hospital refuses to release her body until the outstanding balance is settled. He turns to Safwat, who hands over part of the agreed sum before cutting off further payments. Feeling manipulated and with his life ruined by Safwat, Magdy spots Dima on the street, abducts her, binds her, and locks her in the bathroom. Upon learning of her connection to Safwat, he sets her free; however, with nowhere else to go, she chooses to remain with Magdy, who is grieving the loss of his wife. While going through the apartment, Dima discovers that Magdy is Galal's murderer, finds the weapon used, and sees a newspaper advertisement offering a substantial bounty for information leading to the killer. Though the reward could solve all her problems—securing a new passport and residency—she remains silent. Safwat dispatches a hitman to eliminate Magdy, who manages to shoot the assassin; wounded, Magdy drags himself home, refusing hospital care or medical treatment, choosing death to atone for his sin and reunite with his wife. He urges Dima to turn him in so she can claim the bounty and resolve her troubles. Meanwhile, Mohsen demands that Safwat return the land acquired for a pittance, prompting Safwat to send the same hitman to dispose of him. Dima acquires a new apartment and renews her residency permit. (The Price)

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