[insects chirping]
NETFLIX PRESENTS
[rock synth fill building]
[opening riff to "Gloria" plays]
[indistinct chatter]
[all laughing]
["Gloria" by Umberto Tozzi playing]
[woman 1] Come on, come on, get over here! Do you wanna get caught?
Where'd you even get these? This is crazy.
[overlapping chatter]
[laughs]
Hey, pass me one.
Yeah, I'm just sort of figuring out everything as I go. You know?
I do.
[woman 2] Okay, your turn.
You hear that?
Hey, relax. The caretaker's watching the match.
No, I heard something.
It's probably nothing.
Come on, stop it.
- Hey, Nat. - [music stops]
- What are you doing? - No.
- Jesus, don't you hear that? - No.
- I don't hear anything. - Sounds like an animal.
- [woman 2] That was my song. - I bet she's scared.
- I'm the animal. - Enough.
- [chuckles] - Cut it out. Ugh, stop it.
[laughter]
- Oh. Where's she... - Hey...
- Wait, Nat. - Nathalie, come back!
Nat?
[distant crying]
[baby crying]
[crying continues]
[baby wailing]
[ominous music playing]
[mewling]
[crying]
[crying continues]
[gentle music playing]
[film projector whirring]
[projector thunks, stops]
[Adrien sniffles]
[tense music playing]
Sorry, I was in the john. Come in.
[bones snapping]
Do you want some more? Help yourself, okay?
- I'm good. Thanks. - Sure?
[Adrien murmurs]
So...
For dessert I've got, uh, some yogurt.
That's okay, Albert. I'm really full.
You are?
Ah, shit...
Mm. Leave it. Leave the dishes.
- I'll clean up. - You sure?
Thanks.
[Adrien clears throat]
[Albert] I know all of this might be a lot for you to take in, so...
Been through worse. [clears throat]
In prison?
And elsewhere.
[tap running]
Thailand as well.
Muay Thai camps are no joke.
[Albert] How did you ever end up there?
I don't get it.
I mean, just look at you now, huh? [chuckles]
- [tap stops] - It's hard to imagine all that violence.
You did read my book?
I read your book. Of course I read it.
But you know, it starts in your teenage years.
There's nothing about your childhood.
Childhood is very important, you know.
I don't remember much of it.
And you know the rest.
Yeah, but it's different when you tell the story.
[Adrien murmurs]
[Albert] That was a big discovery for me.
That when you tell the story, it's liberating.
Wanna try?
What game are you playing?
There isn't any game.
I'm interested in you.
Okay.
[chair scrapes]
[sighs]
[cigarette package crinkling]
[Adrien takes a drag]
[exhales]
It started when I was... 14, 15?
I just needed to break.
First things, then faces.
Better to fight guys like me who wanted it.
And then I became a school dropout,
which devastated my poor mom.
'Cause I was smart.
So I went to Thailand to box.
Were you good?
[murmurs] Not really.
It's one thing to throw a punch,
but taking one is another.
But this is the main thing.
Maybe you
wouldn't understand this.
[Albert murmurs]
I spent three years at a training camp in Chiang Mai.
When I got sick of beatings, I came back.
Then I worked odd jobs here and there.
I was a bartender.
That I liked.
- Nightlife, girls, booze... - [murmurs]
I loved it.
"But then a scream sparked a flame in my life."
I remember the line in your book.
Yeah.
Three o'clock in the morning,
I was cleaning up the bar when I heard someone screaming.
So I came out.
I saw a guy messing with a girl.
I kinda knew the guy from around, your average asshole.
Her, I didn't.
So I stepped in.
Hm. That's good.
There are a lot of fucking assholes.
Fortunately, there's also guys like us.
You and I are totally different, Albert.
Yes, you're right, we're completely different. Excuse me.
I cut you off. Carry on.
I approached the guy,
and I told him to chill.
But he didn't chill.
First mistake.
He was looking for a fight. I was drunk and looking for one too.
Then, bam! Comes the first punch.
He picked the wrong guy to fight.
I took it, and then it was my turn.
I kicked him hard.
Right in the plexus, and he goes down.
But he gets back up. Second mistake.
So I start hitting him, one, two, three times...
Who knows how many times.
In the end, he went to the hospital,
and I did nine months.
Oh. Hm.
A bit harsh, but hey.
The judge ruled that despite the situation, I went too far.
In the end, it saved me.
In prison I quit drinking.
Started writing.
Just me and the page,
putting it all down, it just kept pouring out.
A miracle.
I stayed out of trouble, was free in six months,
and I went back to that bar.
And there was the girl.
She came back for me.
I see she's... beautiful, intelligent...
[sighs] Different.
And tender.
- That's the important thing. - Mm.
No one had ever held me that way.
[chuckles gently]
In fact, that girl is Nora.
- [Albert murmurs] - She loves me, you know? Believes in me.
[sighs]
She introduced me to my publisher, then...
Well, there you go, one thing led to another...
Adrien Winckler became Mody.
That's it.
[Albert farts loudly]
[laughs]
I'm sorry.
[laughs]
Happens ever since they removed my gallbladder.
[laughs]
Sorry. [laughs]
I think... It won't... [groans]
We can't do any work today.
Sorry about that. [strains]
You came all this way for nothing.
But of course, you... you can keep the money.
[Adrien] Goes without saying.
[straining] Oof.
[groaning]
Lay down here.
[Albert strains]
[Albert sighs]
Here, I can help.
- No, no, leave it. I can manage. - Come on, let me do it.
No, goddammit! I said no!
[Albert groans]
Forgive me, but... I'd prefer to do things myself while I still can.
[groans]
You can spend the night if you want. There's lots of rooms.
Then we... can start early tomorrow.
[groans]
I can't tomorrow. I'll call.
[departing footsteps]
[Adrien descends staircase]
[groans]
[huffs]
[discordant ambient music playing]
[cell phone vibrating]
Where are you?
You told me to wait outside.
I've been here for ten minutes, you know.
Okay, I'm coming. I'm coming.
[sighs]
[Catherine] Well, thanks for coming.
[overlapping chatter]
Wonderful.
- Okay. It's fine. - It's great that you're here.
- All right, let's go in. - Yeah? [chuckles]
- What floor is it again? - [Catherine] Sixth.
[woman huffs]
[Catherine] We generally do this when the man isn't here,
but this one never leaves.
He'll probably be here.
Do this a lot?
You could have told me about it.
So, the idea for you is that often the simple presence of a man
is enough to de-escalate.
What do you mean?
Well, I mean that you're there, but you don't intervene.
You stay back.
And no violence.
[Adrien sighs] I'm not an animal.
[Catherine scoffs]
I'm sorry, I just don't want to get you in trouble with your probation officer.
[scoffs] My probation ended five years ago, Mom.
Yes, I know, I know.
But you know how they are.
- Where is it? - Come on. Psst.
[woman panting]
- Yes, we're at the door. You ready? - [panting]
Is he there?
[Catherine] No, no, it's going to be okay. We'll stick to the plan, all right?
All right. Let's do it.
[buzzer buzzes]
[approaching footsteps]
[door lock clicks]
- Yeah? - [Catherine] Hello, sir.
Uh, is Jennifer here?
What is this?
- Answer me! - Let her go.
Who are you?
You know them?
I'm sorry, sir. They're coming with us. Let her go.
You can't stop her from leaving.
- Don't you come in. - Yeah, though guy?
- I'm in. What are you gonna do? - I'll show you, motherfucker.
- What's the bat for? - Adrien, don't.
It's all right, Mom, we're just talking. What's that bat for?
- Adrien, out. - I'm gonna fuck you up.
How sweet is that? He came with Mommy.
- No! Adrien! Stop it now! - Oh, you want some, you piece of shit?
- You're making it worse. Stop it. - Listen to your mommy.
Okay, sir, Jennifer's coming with us, understand? All right?
She'll call you and you'll be able to talk,
but for now, step aside,
and let her get through.
If you please.
[baby crying]
- [Catherine] Come on. - It's okay. [sighs]
- [baby mewls] - Are you going, then?
[baby sobs]
[breathing nervously]
[man] I'm talking to you.
[baby squeals, cries]
Are you, or are you not?
If you are, then go.
[gasps, shudders]
Which is it?
[baby crying]
[man] Don't come back.
[baby crying]
- I'm not done with you. - Yeah, yeah.
[man] Son of a bitch.
[door slams shut]
- [baby crying] - Now can I go?
- You and I will need to talk. - Whatever. Gimme a break.
There, there.
[tense jazz music playing]
[keyboard clacking]
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
[car door opens]
- [Nora] All right. - [Alan] Bye.
- I'll see you. - [Nora laughs] Yeah.
[seething breaths]
[Nora] Thanks.
- Hey, Adrien. - Stop smiling.
- [Alan] Sorry? - Stop fucking smiling!
- What the fuck? - Let's go.
- Adrien, you good? - What is this?
- What the fuck are you doing? - [grunts]
[gasps] Wait!
- [Alan groans] - [Adrien yells]
Fucking shit! Fuck!
- [Adrien yells] - [gasps]
[Nora] Are you okay?
[breathing rapidly]
[door shuts]
Are you drunk?
Yes.
What do you care?
- Do you know what you just did? - Oh, come on.
What's this about?
Don't act so innocent. I can see it all. Huh?
The texts, the wandering hands, the jokes? I'm not stupid!
What are you talking about? What the fuck's your problem?
What's my problem?
Maybe the problem is you don't see the problem, okay?
I won't always be there to protect you. To save your ass.
But, Adrien, this is Alan.
And?
- You don't understand it. - What's there to understand?
- Understand what? - He's a man! He's a fucking man!
But not all men are dangerous!
[panting]
Stop it. Stop it. Enough!
Alan's my business, okay? I can handle him.
You're not my fucking savior, you're my man, all right?
Just tell me you're jealous, I can understand that.
But... shit! The drinking and violence, I don't.
Fuck, Adrien, don't go back to that, please.
I can't take it, okay? I can't take it.
Because I'm not your savior either. Stop it. Stop it.
Don't cry, stop.
[Adrien sobbing]
In the bath, what we said to each other, that was real, goddammit.
[Adrien panting]
We don't owe each other anything.
And it's great, right?
- Yeah, that's it, that's it. - [Adrien weeping]
It's okay, it's okay.
[Adrien sniffles]
[Nora moaning]
[Adrien whispers] I'm sorry.
[both moaning]
[thudding]
[Nora panting]
[moaning]
[Adrien grunting]
[both moaning and grunting]
[Adrien grunts, pants]
[Nora moaning]
[leaves rustling]
[man] This idiot can't sleep here.
- Hey, you bum. - [Carrel] Huh?
This is private property.
Yeah? And?
And? Call a social worker and get out of here.
[laugh]
- Okay. - [man] This is funny?
What are you going to do?
- We're gonna beat the shit out of you. - He's my friend. Back off.
- [man] You're friends with this loser? - [Mathilde] Get lost, Killian.
- Go on, all of you. - [chuckles]
[Carrel laughs]
You motherfucker.
[Carrel laughs]
[chuckles]
[Mathilde sighs]
So what's going on?
Oh my God...
I love your tracksuit.
- [Mathilde scoffs] - [Carrel chuckles]
It seems like the only times you're interested in me
is when you're totally wasted.
Well... it's a start, isn't it?
- If you just came here to play games... - No. No.
No.
Soon it'll be over.
Soon what will be over?
It...
Everything.
Everything I have to do because no one gives a damn.
This life, this mess, it'll all be over soon.
I'm waiting for confirmation, but I can feel it, Mathilde.
I just wanted you to know.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
There might even be an after.
Okay? And...
What happens after?
Well, that
is difficult to say since there's never been a before.
[laughs]
Well, am I in it?
[chuckles softly]
That's up to you.
[cell phone vibrates]
I HAVE YOUR GARBAGE RESULTS... CALL ME.
I'm going. Anyway, Martin is alone. [sighs]
Then, uh...
I'll see you. After.
Okay?
[door slams shut]
[approaching footsteps]
I'll get a room.
I need to work alone.
[Adrien sighs]
[door opens]
[door shuts]
[ominous ambient music playing]
[man on phone] For the fingerprints, I have consistent repetition
on all the items in that trash, so it's probably the owner.
I compared them with the file from '72,
the samples taken from the crime scene then,
and, uh, it matches.
So how close?
Rates nine out of ten. No doubt about it. It's the same guy.
Uh, you still there, Carrel?
DNA?
That I don't have yet. I'll email you.
But listen, Carrel, it's the last time, you hear me?
Yeah, sure. Last time.
[call end beep]
[sighs]
[somber string music playing]
[keys clatter]
[music swells]
[fluorescent lights buzzing]
[trainer] Come on, show me what you got! That's it. Good.
[fighting grunts in background]
Well, I'll be damned.
Ladies and gentlemen, the return of the wonder boy.
The intellectual boxer.
The one, the only,
my good friend Adrien Winckler.
What brings you here?
I got the itch after all this time.
Hey, man.
- Welcome. - I'll go get changed.
Okay.
Let's get back to it.
[punch strikes echoing]
[eerie discordant music playing]
[sharp thuds]
[muffled screaming]
[sharp thud]
- [sharp thud] - [woman screams]
- [sharp thudding] - [woman gasps]
[sharp thud]
Mommy?
[woman] No! No!
- Mommy? - [woman grunts]
- [sharp thud] - [woman grunts]
[eerie music continues]
[music fades out]
[shower running in background]
[phone keyboard clacking]
[recording] Hi, you've reached Albert Desiderio's voicemail.
Please leave a message after the tone. Thank you.
[long beep]
Albert, it's Adrien.
Do you think we can meet tomorrow?
Of course, I... I hope you're feeling better.
But we have to continue.
'Kay. Well, call me back.
- See you. - Bye.
Bye.
[discordant ambient music playing]
[leaves rustling]
[eerie string music playing]
[female voice shushing softly]
[female voice whispering] Sleep...
[female voice] Everything will be all right.
It's gonna be to be okay, I promise.
[female voice] Go to sleep.
[female voice] Does it feel good?
[eerie music intensifies]
[eerie female vocals playing]
[sharp gasp]
[leaves rustling]
[breathing heavily]
[shivering]
[eerie female vocals playing]
[sharp exhale]
[breathing rapidly]
[eerie music swells]
- [music halts] - [gasps]
[breathing rapidly]
[train tracks squealing faintly in background]
[insects chirping]
[deep sigh]
[groans]
[sighs]
[Albert sighs]
[Adrien] Hang on. You're going too fast. I'm lost.
What year is this exactly?
[old Albert] It was 1978.
Weren't you in Basque Country? The gas station clerk?
I told you.
We took another week of vacation.
Solange was tired after her second abortion,
so we went on a trip again. Got it?
[Adrien] Okay, yes. Got it. Got it.
Well, yeah, it's okay, but you really need to keep track, Adrien.
[Adrien sighs]
Is something the matter? You don't seem well.
No. No, I'm fine, thanks. Go on.
[exhales]
Sol?
Let's go, Sol.
[sniffles]
His eyes are different colors.
Well, we can't just leave.
[baby coughs]
We can't, Albert.
That's not who we are.
[baby fussing]
[baby crying]
[knock at door]
You expecting a guest?
- No. - [knock at door]
- [Albert] Can you answer the door? - [murmurs]
- Uh... hello? - [Adrien] Hi.
- Is Albert here? - Yeah.
- Nastya! - [Nastya] Albert!
[Albert and Nastya laugh]
I'm keeping my promises. Every time I have a meeting...
[laughs] Yes.
...less than 60 miles away, I come to say hello.
- Mwah! - You see? I also kept my promise.
- I'm still alive. - Yeah, well... Mwah!
Your friend here scared the hell out of me.
I thought for a moment he was the new owner.
Allow me to introduce you.
This good-looking man here is Heni.
He's an Israeli artist, and since he doesn't speak a word of English,
we can say whatever we want.
[Albert and Nastya laugh]
- This is Adrien. - [Nastya] Is he your secret boyfriend?
No, no, no, no. He's the... He's the son of an old client from the salon.
[door shuts]
I don't know if he's a good lay,
but be careful, he speaks very good English.
- [laughs] - Okay?
- Hello, Adrien. - [Adrien] Hi.
Pleasure. I'm Nastya.
- Nice to meet you. - Yeah.
[sharp inhale]
Do you eat Lebanese?
- Yeah. Fine by me. - [Albert] Yep.
That's good because we raided the whole deli.
Okay.
[in German] We're gonna get the food in your car.
[Heni] Yeah.
- Don't you want another? More recent? - [Albert] No.
I'll show you my latest. You can choose whichever.
No, I'm telling you, no. Never.
This stays where it is.
- [Nastya] All right. - [Albert laughs]
[in German] It was my first one. Actually, it was like...
No. It's the other way.
And that... is Nastya.
[chuckles] All right.
[sighs] She was supposed to come later in the story, but hey.
[Albert chuckles]
[ominous music playing]
[men yelling faintly in background]
[plastic crinkling]
[Nastya] Cheers.
Okay, my first solo exhibition?
It was Arras. It wasn't in New York.
[Nastya chuckles] I must have been 20? I don't know, 25?
I was so, so impressed by everything.
I was so shy at the opening exhibition, I kept to myself, not saying anything.
- [chuckles] - [Albert] I assure you.
She can be very shy, really.
[Albert and Adrien chuckle]
Anyway, all the usual gallery opening people were like,
"It's amazing! It's so bold!" Blah, blah, blah.
And... And then... Then I noticed this little man
looking at my paintings in the back.
Different. Very strange somehow.
- Yeah, how did you end up there again? - No reason.
I was just passing by in the street and I saw the "art gallery" sign.
I went in.
I'd never been to an art gallery in my life.
[Nastya chuckles]
Something about it must have resonated with me.
Ah! Something dark and bizarre, of course?
- Mm-hmm. [chuckles] - [Nastya laughs]
He was coming every day.
He was hanging around, always looking at my art.
But not like any of the others. His look had... had this...
[Nastya] Well, you can't really describe a look, can you?
[sighs] Of course, we... we started chatting.
And then... [bangs table] ...it was love at first sight.
Love at first sight, as if we'd always known each other.
Hey, when did you get to be such a softie, huh?
- [Nastya] Yeah, yeah... Yeah. - [Albert] Well?
[in German] You're right.
- [in English] What's happening to me? - [chuckling]
[Nastya] Well, the truth is
that he was the first to buy one of my paintings.
That one there. And I...
And you've heard this.
And I had no money at all at the time. I was so broke.
He really saved my life,
and after that he always helped me out when I was in the deep shit.
And it saved my life, really.
So, I guess it was all about the money after all.
- [Albert murmurs] - [laughing]
- [Adrien] That explains it. - [laughs]
Yeah. [clears throat]
Tell me you smoke, Adrien.
Yeah.
Because with him, it's no drugs, no alcohol, no red meat, no cigarettes.
[gasps dramatically] I'm telling you, if he wasn't so talented...
[chuckles] Anyway...
[Albert and Adrien laugh]
[Nastya] I really need a partner in crime to smoke.
Well, I do smoke, yes. I love smoking. It's my favorite hobby.
- Okay. Okay. - It's true.
- Come on. - [Nastya laughs]
- Let's go out. - Yep.
[Nastya, in German] Okay, see you later.
[in German] So you are cuckolded.
You are cuckolded.
- [birds chirping] - [Nastya] I don't read books.
Not fiction books, anyway.
- [Adrien] Yeah? - Mm-hmm.
- Why not? - [Nastya sighs] I don't like stories.
They're just nice lies.
[Adrien murmurs]
"Truth is stranger than fiction,
but stranger still are lies."
Philip Roth.
- Roth? - Yeah, Roth.
Okay. [laughs]
You're the kind of guy who quotes stuff.
No, never.
[in German] Never?
I don't know what came over me. Sorry.
[both laugh]
[in English] Okay. Okay.
I mean, nobody's perfect.
[both murmur]
Um, where's home?
[Nastya] Um...
Wherever, you know?
I move around. But right now, I'm in Roubaix.
I'm a resident artist.
I was invited there by X Magin.
Who is that?
It's a tattoo parlor.
You have space for more?
Yeah, lots of space.
But I'm not going to get tattooed, I will tattoo.
You do that too? Okay.
Yeah, it's great, I love it.
Mm.
I mean, I've been drawing since I was a little child,
but when I discovered the skin, it changes everything.
Can you imagine if every time
you typed a letter on the keyboard of your computer
it hurt someone straight away?
You'd think twice before you did it.
- You get it? - [chuckles]
You're modifying people's bodies.
It's more than bourgeois intellectual bullshit.
Mm-hmm?
Like me, you mean?
[both laugh]
Thanks. [chuckles]
When you opened the door, you saw me the first time,
what do you think?
A tattoo... junkie? Yeah?
[clicks tongue] No way.
- No? - No.
What did you think?
[bird chirps]
- Hmm... - [door opens]
Nah, never mind. [chuckles]
Okay.
Was?
[in German] We have to go, baby.
Okay, okay... Right.
It looks like you and I
will have to continue this conversation some other day.
Mm-hmm.
[Nastya chuckles]
- Bye-bye. - Bye.
[Heni speaking German]
[birds chirping]
[Nastya] Okay, I'll see you soon.
- [Albert] Don't wait too long, okay? - Okay.
["God Bless" by Hamza playing]
[music fades out]
The son of an old client?
And what did you want me to say?
The truth? Huh?
The truth is only for you, Adrien, right?
Nobody else.
All right, let's keep going.
[Adrien sighs]
[Albert] In the end, we... we took the baby.
If people had seen us, they would have thought,
"Oh, my, what a lovely family."
[Albert chuckles]
Ah...
[emotional piano music playing]
[baby crying]
[crying continues]
Shhh...
[crying continues]
[baby wailing]
[crying continues]
[baby screeches, cries]
[crying continues]
[sniffles, sighs]
[crying continues]
[emotional music swells]
[sniffles]
[baby mewling]
[bell tolling]
[tolling continues]
[discordant ambient music playing]
[engine stops]
[faint birdsong]
[ominous music playing]
[bird chirping]
[ominous music intensifies]
How old was the baby?
[Albert] I have no idea.
He must have been, I don't know...
- Six months, one year? - [banging on door]
Uh, they must have left something. Do you mind checking for me?
[murmurs]
[Adrien inhales sharply]
[ominous music continues]
Hello?
[music swells, fades]
Yves. [chuckles]
Nice to meet you.
Adrien. You too.
Uh, I live in the house around the corner, so,
- I'm the neighbor, I suppose. - [Adrien murmurs]
Albert asked me to bring over some, uh, tools.
- Okay. Please come in. - So, uh, I'm here.
- Okay, thanks. - No problem.
[Albert] Yves!
Come on in, my friend. Come.
- [Yves] You didn't. - Do what?
[Yves] Well, your beard.
Oh, yes, I shaved it.
But why? When?
Oh, who knows. It was on a whim.
About, I don't know, three weeks ago?
- Well, it makes you look much younger. - Oh, really?
[tense music playing]
[tense music swells]
[tense musical stinger plays]
[bell tolling]
[Albert] What do you want?
Really, I... I don't...
Please.
Listen, I don't have anything.
[Albert groans]
[cocks pistol]
[Carrel breathes rapidly]
[sniffles]
[dramatic music playing]
[panting]
[sniffles]
[panting]
[gasps]
[sobbing gasp]
[sobbing]
[dramatic music intensifies]
[dramatic music swells]
[grunts]
[pistol clatters]
[Albert panting]
[music fades]
[Albert grunts]
[Albert straining]
[Albert grunts]
[grunts]
[Albert strains]
[Albert exhales sharply]
[Albert groans]
[groans]
[panting]
[Albert grunts]
[Albert straining]
[bird chirps]
[grunts]
[strains]
[bird chirps]
[Carrel thuds]
[eerie female vocals playing]