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Plot Summary

Tangerines (2015) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 87 min · English
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Directed by
Zaza Urushadze
Starring
Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze, Lembit Ulfsak, Misha Meskhi, Raivo Trass

During the conflict following the collapse of the Soviet Union, two Estonian farmers, Ivo and his friend, struggle to harvest their tangerine orchard while caught between Georgian and Abkhazian forces. When both men find themselves tending to two wounded soldiers from opposing sides, an unexpected bond forms. Through shared hardship and a common humanity, they confront the senselessness of war and the possibility of peace in a shattered land.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Tangerines
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Tangerines: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Tangerines (2015) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Transgender sex worker Sin-Dee Rella, portrayed by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, has just been released after serving a 28-day jail sentence. On Christmas Eve, she meets up with her friend Alexandra, played by Mya Taylor, at a local donuts shop in Hollywood. Alexandra, who has recently undergone a breast augmentation, informs Sin-Dee about her boyfriend and pimp, Chester (played by James Ransone), who has been unfaithful with a cisgender woman whose name starts with a D. Fueled by anger, Sin-Dee storms out, determined to find Chester and the woman he's cheating with. In the meantime, Alexandra, wanting to avoid the drama, stays behind to prepare for her musical performance later that night at The Mary's bar.

As Alexandra hands out flyers for her show, she finds herself in a heated argument with a client who refuses to pay her for her services. Despite promising $40, he ends up making excuses, and their confrontation attracts the attention of the police. Meanwhile, we meet Razmik, an honest Armenian cab driver played by Karren Karagulian, who encounters various passengers, including two intoxicated men. After a long day, he picks up a prostitute but quickly ejects her from his cab upon realizing she isn’t transgender. When he meets Alexandra, the two share an intimate moment, but Razmik ultimately heads home to celebrate Christmas dinner with his family.

Sin-Dee, on her journey to confront Chester, encounters Nash (Ian Edwards), another pimp, who informs her that Chester is at a food line in a different part of town handing out $20 Christmas vouchers. Sin-Dee learns from an acquaintance at the food line the whereabouts of the woman Chester is seeing, who turns out to be Dinah (Mickey O'Hagan). Sin-Dee tracks Dinah down at a motel brothel, dragging her along in search of Chester. After some taunting from Dinah about not being Chester's only girlfriend, Sin-Dee realizes she’s late for Alexandra's performance and decides to bring Dinah with her instead. Together, they share a moment of bonding as they engage in crystal meth and get ready for the show.

At the bar, Alexandra performs to an almost empty crowd, while Razmik, feeling compelled to attend Alexandra's show under the pretense of work, is disappointed to discover he is too late. In the meantime, Sin-Dee and her companions head to Donut Time to confront Chester. Razmik's mother-in-law, Ashken (Alla Tumanian), grows suspicious and hires another cab driver, Karo (Arsen Grigoryan), to track down Razmik, unaware of his true motives.

Upon reaching the donuts shop, chaos ensues. Sin-Dee directly confronts Chester, who claims Dinah means nothing to him, insisting that he and Sin-Dee are engaged. Dinah, however, reveals that she has been with Chester on multiple occasions. As tensions rise, Razmik arrives with his family, including his wife Yeva (Louisa Nersisyan) and their infant daughter. An escalating argument among the group leads to the shop owner, Mamasan (Shih-Ching Tsou), kicking everyone out.

While the family leaves, the situation only intensifies when Chester reveals he has also slept with Alexandra, causing Sin-Dee deep emotional pain. In her grief and desperation, she attempts to find clients, only to be faced with derogatory slurs and humiliation. Alexandra steps in to support her friend, taking Sin-Dee to a laundromat to clean her clothes and wig, generously offering Sin-Dee her own wig to wear in the meantime, reaffirming their strong bond amidst the turmoil.

Last updated: November 04, 2024 at 01:56

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Plot questions answered

Tangerines Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Tangerines (2015): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Sin-Dee storm out of the donut shop after meeting Alexandra?

Sin-Dee storms out because Alexandra tells her that Chester, her boyfriend and pimp, has been unfaithful with a cisgender woman whose name starts with D. Infuriated by this betrayal, Sin-Dee immediately leaves to find Chester and confront him about his infidelity.

  • chester
  • infidelity
  • betrayal
  • sin-dee
  • confrontation
Q2

Why does Razmik kick the prostitute out of his cab?

Razmik ejects the prostitute from his cab after realizing she is not transgender. He specifically seeks out transgender sex workers, which becomes significant when he later meets Alexandra and they share an intimate moment.

  • razmik
  • transgender
  • prostitute
  • cab
  • discrimination
Q3

Why does Alexandra perform to an almost empty crowd at The Mary's bar?

Alexandra performs to an almost empty crowd because it's Christmas Eve and her friend Sin-Dee, who would have likely supported her, was busy searching for Chester. Additionally, the bar itself appears to be a low-key venue that doesn't draw large audiences.

  • alexandra
  • performance
  • mary's bar
  • christmas
  • empty crowd
Q4

Why does Razmik arrive too late to see Alexandra's performance?

Razmik arrives too late because he uses work as a pretense to attend the show, but his actual motives are questioned when his mother-in-law Ashken hires another cab driver Karo to track him down, suggesting his family was already suspicious of his whereabouts.

  • razmik
  • alexandra
  • show
  • late
  • performance
Q5

Why does Sin-Dee decide to bring Dinah to Alexandra's performance instead of confronting Chester immediately?

Sin-Dee brings Dinah along when she realizes she has already missed part of Alexandra's performance. Rather than delaying further, she decides to bring Dinah with her to the bar, and during the journey, the two bond over crystal meth while getting ready for the show.

  • sin-dee
  • dinah
  • alexandra
  • performance
  • bar
Q6

Why does Chester claim Dinah means nothing to him when Sin-Dee confronts him?

When confronted at Donut Time, Chester tries to minimize his relationship with Dinah, insisting that he and Sin-Dee are engaged. However, Dinah immediately reveals that she has been with Chester on multiple occasions, exposing his lies and deepening Sin-Dee's sense of betrayal.

  • chester
  • dinah
  • lie
  • confrontation
  • engagement
Q7

Why does Chester reveal he has also slept with Alexandra during the confrontation?

During the escalating argument at the donut shop, Chester reveals that he has also been with Alexandra. This disclosure is meant to cause maximum emotional damage, further devastating Sin-Dee and intensifying the conflict among all parties involved.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Alexandra and Razmik share an intimate moment, suggesting Alexandra may be seeking connection outside her current relationships.

  • chester
  • alexandra
  • betrayal
  • revelation
  • confrontation
Q8

Why does Sin-Dee face humiliation when searching for clients after learning about Alexandra?

After learning about Chester's betrayal with Alexandra, Sin-Dee desperately tries to find clients to cope with her emotional pain. However, she faces humiliation and derogatory slurs from potential clients, highlighting the vulnerability and marginalization she experiences as a transgender sex worker.

  • sin-dee
  • humiliation
  • discrimination
  • transgender
  • clients
Q9

Why does Alexandra offer her wig to Sin-Dee at the laundromat?

Alexandra offers her wig to Sin-Dee as an act of solidarity and friendship after witnessing her friend's emotional devastation. She takes Sin-Dee to a laundromat to clean her clothes and wig, then gives her own wig for Sin-Dee to wear, reaffirming their bond despite the chaos of the night.

  • alexandra
  • sin-dee
  • wig
  • laundromat
  • friendship
  • support
Q10

Why does Razmik's family arrive at the donut shop during the confrontation?

Razmik's mother-in-law Ashken becomes suspicious of his whereabouts and hires another cab driver Karo to track him down. This leads Razmik to bring his family to the donut shop, where they witness the chaotic confrontation between Sin-Dee, Chester, Dinah, and Alexandra.

  • razmik
  • family
  • ashken
  • karo
  • confrontation
  • suspicion
Q11

Why does the shop owner kick everyone out of the donut shop?

The shop owner, Mamasan, kicks everyone out of Donut Time because the escalating argument among Sin-Dee, Chester, Dinah, Alexandra, and later Razmik's family becomes too disruptive and chaotic for the business to continue operating.

  • mamasan
  • donut shop
  • kicked out
  • argument
  • chaos

Movie threads

More Movies Like Tangerines, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Tangerines tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about finding humanity in war like Tangerines

Stories where bitter enemies discover their shared humanity in a confined space. If you were moved by Tangerines, explore other movies like it that examine the fragile connections formed between enemies in wartime. These similar drama and war stories focus on the surprising bonds and shared humanity that can emerge amidst conflict, offering a poignant look at the personal cost of war.

  • somber
  • confrontational
  • hopeful
  • tense
  • thoughtful
  • emotional
  • Tone: dark, somber, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread often begin with a clear 'us vs. them' division, typically shattered by an event that forces enemies into a shared, often isolated, situation. The plot revolves around the gradual breakdown of prejudice and fear, replaced by understanding and even compassion, as characters work towards a common survival goal or care for one another.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core thematic focus on reconciliation and empathy in the face of entrenched conflict. They possess a heavy emotional weight and a predominantly dark, yet ultimately bittersweet, tone, suggesting that while war is destructive, individual humanity can endure.

Movies about a peaceful sanctuary in war like Tangerines

Tales of a peaceful place that becomes an unlikely refuge from surrounding chaos. For viewers who appreciated the setting of Tangerines, this list features similar movies where a secluded, peaceful place becomes a refuge during war. These drama and history films explore the tension and moral challenges of maintaining neutrality and compassion when conflict literally arrives on the doorstep.

  • tense
  • anxious
  • gritty
  • somber
  • confrontational
  • hopeful
  • Tone: tense, anxious, gritty
  • Pacing: steady, with bursts of intensity
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves establishing a self-contained, idyllic, or neutral space that is abruptly violated by the external conflict. The story then focuses on the inhabitants' struggle to maintain their principles of peace and shelter while managing the dangerous elements they have taken in. The sanctuary itself becomes a character, representing the ideals being fought for.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a specific world-building element: a microcosm of peace juxtaposed against a macrocosm of war. They generate tension from the constant threat of the outside world breaching the sanctuary's borders and explore themes of moral courage, the cost of neutrality, and the defiant act of providing shelter in a storm.

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Movies Like Tangerines

Similar movies to Tangerines: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Tangerines (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Tangerines in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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