YES is a daring, sexual, political film written in a rhymed Shakespearean-style play. Revolving around an affair between an unhappily married American scientist (Joan Allen) and a Middle Eastern chef (Simon Abkarian) who both live in London, the story is a good deal about, yes, sex. Lying, cheating, getting it on in a restaurant and screaming, “Yes!” at the table kind-of-sex.

YES is told through the eyes of a cleaning lady who talks dirty…seriously; she finds condoms in the toilet—courtesy of the unhappy husband who obviously isn’t so smart— and metaphorically describes a deteriorating marriage through dust and mites (Cliff’s notes, please).

The script was written post 9-11, and examines the way Middle Easterners view Americans, and vice versa. The tension is apparent as the story unravels, but the two lovers indulge in a steamy affair amidst his uncertainties to continue on due to their cultural differences. To top it off, screenwriter/director Sally Potter ends the film in Cuba, and makes political jabs including how a dying woman would rather have shaken Castro’s hand instead of the Pope’s (that would be the daring part of the film’s description). However, it’s Potter’s bravery in creating a movie like YES that makes independent film truly exceptional.

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