Just Short of Perfect 2021

When Ivana loses her phone at a coffee shop, Ricardo finds it and calls her home. They decide to meet at the cafe the next morning, and Ivana is surprised by how short he is. As a cardiologist, he can tell she’s stressed, and he suggests an adrenaline-filled plan to help her unwind: a sky‑diving trip. The day takes an unexpected turn, however, when the Pope visiting Brazil is hospitalized and needs emergency surgery, forcing Ricardo to rush off to work while Ivana processes the sudden shift in plans.

Ricardo seeks advice from his daughter, Manu, on how to ask Ivana out, while Ivana navigates a tense divorce from her ex-husband, Danilo. Despite the chaos, a spark grows between Ivana and Ricardo. The two share a romantic dinner and share a shy kiss, setting the stage for their next evening out at a music club where Ricardo performs live. In the middle of the performance, a creep tries to flirt with Ivana and mocks Ricardo’s height, challenging him to a dance‑off that Ricardo wins. The night ends with Ivana and Ricardo spending the night together at Ricardo’s place, and Ivana begins to see the practical challenges of dating someone taller than her.

Danilo spots Ivana with Ricardo and mocks the height difference, but Ivana defends them both. Ivana invites Ricardo to lunch, where he struggles to reach the utensils, and she remains discreet about their relationship when her mother calls. Ivana brings Ricardo to her brother’s wedding reception the following weekend, presenting him to the family as a friend. While Ivana steps away, her mother asks Ricardo to help mend Ivana and Danilo, stirring unwanted expectations.

The next day, Ivana tells her mother that she is seeing Ricardo, and her mother’s prejudice toward his height leaves Ivana frustrated enough to end up leaving the car. Ricardo later visits Ivana at her office, where Danilo insults him. The two men get into a physical altercation, and a misunderstanding arises: Ricardo believes Ivana is ashamed of him, so he ends the relationship. Both are devastated, and Manu tells Ricardo that he must first learn to accept himself before Ivana can accept him.

At Ivana’s brother’s wedding, she sees clearly how Danilo and her mother helped fuel the rift. She stands up to them, and her father’s sudden heart discomfort pushes the family into a crisis that brings everyone to Ricardo’s hospital. When Ricardo arrives to treat the situation, it turns out to be only a severe case of gas, and relief washes over the room. The wedding resumes, and Ivana and Ricardo share a heartfelt moment, delivering speeches and sealing their connection with a kiss as the day ends.