Eventually, the Djinn shrinks, loses his power, and becomes a mortal man. They move to London. He struggles with human fragility (toothaches, boredom), while she struggles with his loss of magic. They separate, but not tragically. In the final scene, Alithea buys a small glass bottle at a market—implying that she will keep him safe or perhaps begin the cycle again.

This is not a popcorn movie. If you expect Mad Max with wishes, you will be disappointed. If you expect a colorful romantic comedy, you will be bored. Three Thousand Years of Longing is a film for people who love language, mythology, and the sad, beautiful truth that even a 3,000-year-old Djinn doesn't understand human loneliness.