Fleeting, intense romance has been a subject of art ? and cinema ? for decades: [Brief Encounter], [Before Sunrise], and [Lost in Translation] are just a few. In that vein comes [Cairo Time], the story of a woman’s three-week romance with a friend of her husband and guide to Cairo while she waits for him. Anchored by a stunning and nuanced performance by Patricia Clarkson, the film delves into the emotionally turbulent waters or dissatisfaction, betrayal, and mature sensuality. At the same time, Cairo is vividly brought to life in a way rarely seen on screen, and acts as a reflective canvass for Juliette (Clarkson) and Tareq’s (Alexander Siddig) burgeoning, difficult relationship. Writer and director Ruba Nadda never allows the story to fall into overwrought cliche, yet the would-be lovers’ struggle is palpable; the presence of Juliette’s husband is always felt. There are no cheating wives or cuckolded husbands in [Cairo Time], just people trying to understand an attraction and react to it in the best way possible.