All language subtitles for Cloaca-2003-Willem.van.de.Sande.Bakhuyzen

...return them...

...return them...

...birthday gifts. After 21 years.
Return them. 21 years.

...return them. Return them...

...return birthday gifts
of the past 21 years...

21 years. Return them...

I'II never forgive you.

I can't forgive you.

Something knocking at your backdoor
as weII, Pieter?

I heard every word you said tonight.
Every word.

But it's just not possibIe.
-Yes, I'm sure it must be a shock.

Because it's mine. It beIongs to me.

Not to the City, not to you.
To me.

And it's totaIIy IegaI.
-I'II cut you some sIack.

I don't want them aII back.
I'II Iet you keep 13 of the 21 .

I'II keep the eight Van GoppeIs.

The offer certainIy does not
incIude the Van GoppeIs.

They must be returned, aII eight
of them. As soon as possibIe.

ShaII we do notes now?

Yes, I'II be right there.

It's not possibIe,
because it's not possibIe.

You'II see it differentIy tomorrow.
-What's tomorrow?

A new day.

very trendy and comfortabIe to wear

very trendy and with a

in your underwear

in the center of BarceIona

In bed she asks me:
How do you see the future?

But I didn't reaIize it was a trick
question, so I teII her about my dream...

of a yacht, a smaII farm in France
and a fIat on a canaI.

ExpIain it, I had to expIain it.
I'm thinking, why? I'm such an asshoIe.

So I say: Okay, a yacht?
To saiI with, what eIse?

And a farm in France? I'd have
my books there and a vineyard, maybe.

And the fIat in the city for fun:
Concerts, movies.

You know what she says? I'm no part
of it, you don't see me in any of it.

You don't see me in any of it.
For God's sake.

One moment you're hoIding a gIass,
the next a carving fork.

Nothing happened.
I grabbed a few things...

and I Ieft.

I got a nosebIeed, because I grabbed
the suitcase in the dark...

when the camping stuff
and two hockey sticks feII on me.

Who'd put oId hockey sticks
on top of the suitcases?

It's that kind of apathy that makes it
so difficuIt...

for me to see that famiIy as anything
more than a herd of stupid animaIs.

AnimaI apathy as structure.

Pens. I've brought home thousands
of pens from ParIiament.

But when I want to jot down a phone
number, there isn't a pen in the house.

I had this vision of sIamming her
body against the coat rack.

Sink the hook into the soft spot
at the base of her skuII.

It's nonsense, of course.

Strict, severe... No, uptight.
My God, that woman's so uptight. I...

Tom, who are these peopIe
at the door?

You've moved?

No.

Item describer.
-Items?

It's what I do.

I'm stiII a Iawyer, but through Jobs
For Patients I can do this for now.

Patient? What about your house?

It's on the market, somehow I managed
to make some debts.

You must've shoved a fortune
up your nose.

Squash.
-Squash?

You and I, 3 months ago, every week.
-Yes, I was there, remember?

At noon, you and I are punishing
that baII...

and in the evening I'm in a bar
ceIebrating the DRAM case...

DRAM: Dynamic RAM memory.
I toId you I won the case, right?

I raise a gIass with my cIients...

and 24 hours Iater I'm in my underwear
in BarceIona. No idea how I got there.

That's how I ended up
in that institution. AcuteIy manic.

I knew you were away.

But I thought you'd gone to
a heaIth spa with saunas and hot tubs.

I was jeaIous.
-JeaIous?

I was carving up my arm with a piece
of gIass.

Jesus, Tom.

TotaIIy weird,
from one moment to the next.

But I can't stay here.
-No? We'II go to Pieter.

No, Pieter is not home.
-Let's go to Maarten's then.

Are you going too?
-I'm not staying here.

Be a bit more mysticaI. You expIain
too much and you don't have to.

Can I rinse this stuff off?
-Yes, of course.

CIoaca.

Grab the phone. Turn it off, turn it off.

Get it. Laura, turn it off.

I am driving the car, Joep.
-Stop, stop right now.

Move over and stop the car. Now.

Look, see?
-Tom, stop now.

Stop and Iet me out.

I'II teII you Iater, but before it hits
the fan...

Open up. Can I stay with you?
Open up.

Reverse, haven't done that in 2 months.
-Open the damn door.

Did you know he was committed?
Tom. TotaIIy manic.

He was committed.
-I have to caII you back, Joep, sorry.

Laura. Come on now.

PIease?

PIease.

Sweet IittIe girI?

Sweet IittIe girI.

TotaIIy manic.
Can I stay at your pIace?

Joep, do you know a good Iawyer?
Tom'II be too busy.

He just happens to be driving by.
I'II see you in a bit.

Tom, goddamnit. Stop.

I'II just take the tram.

No, I'II take you home.

Tom, keep your hands off. Tom, Iet go.
-I'm gIad it's no probIem.

I didn't say you couId stay.
-I can't go to a hoteI now.

You can stay, but I didn't say it.
-PeopIe wiII taIk. Me in a hoteI. Now.

You don't have to go to a hoteI.

Not whiIe the coaIition is being formed.
-It's okay.

No way I can do that.
-Joep...

I need a shower.

Tom, Iet go. Come on, Iet go.

I had some terribIe news this evening.
-Pietje, Pietje.

I thought you'd be too busy.

But you're here now, which is good,
because I need a Iawyer.

This thing at work.

A case?
-A case?

A case for me?

You're asking me.

It'II be my first case since the cIinic.
-CIinic?

This thing at work.
-Yes.

Piet, do you have a toweI for me?

I thought I was in a movie. When I was
beaten up in BarceIona, I Iet them.

What are you taIking about?

I beIieved the script caIIed for me to be
beaten up. WeII, it's over now.

This thing at work.
-Tom, stop rambIing.

I want a story with aII the facts
in chronoIogicaI order.

HaIf the popuIation is manic,
and depressive to boot.

In my case, it manifested itseIf
with a bang. It was terribIe.

I didn't know.

We go months without
seeing each other...

but I shouId have been there.

I don't bIame you.
I didn't want to see anyone.

How Iong had it been since you saw
each other?

I'm onIy human.
Sometimes I need a pump.

I must've bought six bicycIe pumps.

But I can never find one when I need it.
What does she do with them?

She doesn't mind, says the house Iooks
Iived in. It's a frigging mess.

We have mice in the haII cIoset.
You know what they do?

Conny and the kids knock, so the mice
run off and CatweazIe can't catch them.

That's our stupid, epiIeptic cat.

I didn't know, Tom. I didn't know.

You're often away, or very busy.
Or in a different scene, Iet's say.

Two months in a cIinic?
-No, one month.

One month.
-Yes, and then I went to an institution.

An institution?
-Yes.

To make friends with
my bipoIar character.

The month in the cIinic was to kick
my massive coke habit.

And now?

Lithium. It's terrific.

In hindsight I couId see it coming.
-What about your case?

A Ieak in the kitchen with a pan
under it. CaII a pIumber, you might say.

But no, because CatweazIe drinks from
the pan. Does that make any sense?

WeII, not to me.

The case.
-Potato chips? Either gone or Iimp.

ChocoIates? I get a tin fuII
of empty wrappers.

A sandwich then. The bread is staIe.

I have a probIem.

But it kind of paIes in comparison
to yours.

TeII me aII about it.
-If anything's possibIe, why not me?

Why can't I dream of a yacht
and farm that's not messy?

Guess where I found the phone?

Don't you want to know what he said?
Joep, I mean?

No.

Great.

We open next week.

I'm up for it.

It started the first year, when they
reaIized they forgot my birthday.

We have a kitty for speciaI occasions,
but they forgot my present.

I didn't mind, I didn't want anything.

I said I'd rather pick something
out of Depot Zero.

It's a basement in City HaII
where rejected artwork is stored.

Most of it is junk. 800 square
meters of dreariness, it's terribIe.

Or do you want to forget about it
and have a drink?

No, the case.
I'm just getting warmed up.

It was absoIuteIy aboveboard.

Everybody knew about it,
incIuding department head VermeuIen.

So aII those years,
you contributed to the kitty...

How Iong have you worked there?
-It'II be 22 years soon.

You are such a coward.

Why do you say that?

A summer job, Pieter. It was
a summer job. Twenty-two years.

Is that bad?
-You didn't study Art History...

to be a fiIe cIerk at City HaII. You
wanted to write a book on De Kooning.

WeII, apparentIy not.
-You know, I have this image of you.

You were teIIing us about him
in your room.

He couId capture an emotionaI quaIity...
-The rambIings of a faiIed artist.

Those evenings were great.
The best, come to think of it.

You had a fire inside you. Passion.
-We aII did.

I didn't.
-You did too.

From Art History to PsychoIogy to Law.
I hated them aII.

You think it'II hit you
when you start working.

I got hit by a Iot things when I started
working, but never that fire...

Maybe I shouId get another Iawyer,
don't you think?

I want this. Come on.

You're not going back
to that IittIe room.

You'II stay right here.

I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted.

Can you picture us, Tom?

Conny in her pajamas
and me with a carving fork?

I was expecting something eIse.

I didn't have dinner with my boss,
but with Brest, my boss' boss.

That's never happened before,
so I expected something eIse.

A decoration?
-Yes.

A decoration,
but that's not how it went.

This case is becoming cIear to me.

The kitty can be compared
to a coIIective insurance.

For 21 years you paid a contribution...

and for that you shouId have received
twenty-one tokens of affection.

It didn't happen.
From the kitty, that is.

I think you shouId
get your contribution back.

And if they cIaim that you preferred
a different form of compensation...

which is against reguIations,
Iet them shove their stuffy art.

But I don't want that.
-Am I nuts for staying with a homo?

I want to keep it.
-The formation can take weeks.

No, just days. I've heard rumors.
-City HaII wants me to return the gifts.

But I'm not giving them back.

You want to keep that junk?

It's not junk.

No, it's not junk.

I can do it, Tom.
Maybe that's the fire.

I can do it. I aIways couId.

I can go to a bar and see the one.
I can do that.

On a crowded beach or in
a packed disco, I can pick the one.

I have an unbIemished sense
of what's reaI, for something that is.

I can wade through
the unbearabIe ugIiness in Depot Zero...

and pick out the gems.
I recognized it in Van GoppeI.

For 8 years, he submitted a painting
as part of a art program...

and every year, I wouId take it out
of the depot on my birthday.

And now Brest wants me to give
them back? No way.

Do you see what's going on?

Now that the Van GoppeIs are vaIuabIe
due to his death and Dokumenta...

the City is organizing a show
and they want them aII back.

And why are you so attached to them?

Because they're beautifuI.
Better than De Kooning.

Can I be the deviI's advocate? If I were
them, I'd fiIe a compIaint against you.

What for?
-For embezzIement.

You're not the deviI's advocate.

I can't afford this.
I'II be a minister next week.

A homo is one thing,
but an embezzIing homo is out.

Everyone knew it. They were gifts.
-We need to get that on paper.

Yes, something Iike that.

ShaII I see what I can do?
I can devise or decree something.

I need the names of your bosses.
-That sounds quite disgusting. Can't...

No, we have to pIan this weII. You
must coax them to your point of view.

What do eight Van GoppeIs go for?

This quaIity?
Not Iithos, but canvas...

Anywhere from 2 to 3 miIIion.

Three miIIion.

Three miIIion?

Run this story by me again,
sIowIy this time. Three miIIion?

Where are they?
Where did you hang them?

Can we soIve this, guys?
-You can buy New York with trinkets.

You can buy goId-rich Iand
from a CoIombian farmer for 100 euros.

You can caII pIastic 'imitation Ieather'.
Not reaIIy, but you can, you know?

But if no one wiII attest that they were
given to you, it is against the Iaw.

Listen, Piet. Anything you know
about Brest and VermeuIen...

any improper behavior,
you have to teII me.

AIcohoIism, sexuaI harassment,
I'm going to need it.

Isn't there a Iess vuIgar soIution?
-No. Three miIIion?

Ministers have resigned for Iess
than that. I don't need this.

Oh, Iike I'm enjoying this.

Which are they?

These are from the depot,
but I can keep them.

So no Van GoppeIs here?

I can't afford the insurance.
Too expensive.

So where are they?
-In a safe.

In a safe?
-Yes.

Tom, keep it to yourseIf.
I'm Iiving at home, okay?

If there's any dirt on Brest
and VermeuIen...

you watch, with a IittIe Iuck
Piet can keep them.

If Conny caIIs, yes...

I'II see if I caII her back.

Three months ago I had a caIf-Ieather
briefcase, wore a 3-piece suit...

and I was waItzing through the haIIs
of government.

Yes, why don't you take it easy.
Do you have something to read?

WiII you take care of dinner?

I had an unexpected dinner yesterday.

With KareI Brest.

KareI Brest, that's right.
Pieter had dinner with the boss.

And you're probabIy aII wondering why.

You've probabIy aII been brought up
to date. Isn't that right, Jacques?

Did everyone get a personaI caII
from Jacques VermeuIen?

You couId have at Ieast toId me.
-What shouId I have said?

That I must return the Van GoppeIs.

Maarten, can you go in a IittIe
Iate today? It's her birthday.

Who?
-Laura.

We have a surprise for her.
Come upstairs, she'II Iike that.

Hip, hip, hooray.

I didn't know it was your birthday.
-Are you my surprise?

No, the surprise...

the surprise is coming.

Give it back.

Don't be stupid.

Take him.
-HeIIo, baby.

He's for you.
-Oh, he's so cute.

Thank you.

There you are, cutie.

Ten years too Iate, but there he is.

Laura's wanted a dog
since she was eight.

She finaIIy got one.
Late, but there he is.

Is he at your house?

Who? Oh.
-No, I don't want to know.

Hey, baby.

Good morning.

Tom...
-I've Iost the briefcase, not the suit.

Fantastic, it feeIs great.
AII of it: The haIIs, the suit, the room.

I'm in a meeting.
-Me too.

I have an affidavit in my head
I need to draw up.

Pieter's coIIeagues have to sign
this affidavit...

stating the things were gifts.
Donated.

You've spoken to Brest or VermeuIen?
-Not yet.

But you've had aII day.
-I have to taIk to the PM-eIect.

The meeting is a formaIity. I'm getting
FA, I just know it. Who eIse on FA?

FA?
-Foreign Affairs.

Now that things at home are bad,
spending Iots of time abroad is perfect.

Did you take a snort? Did you?
-No.

I quit, and I can't afford it.
But I'm fired up by this case.

Tonight. Not now, not here.
Not now.

Draw up the affidavit,
I'II handIe it.

You're not quite yourseIf yet.
Take it easy.

Go to Piet's house, take a nap
and take care of dinner.

I'm aIways Iike this.
-I know, but this is not a good time.

Do you Iike beans?
-You get beans. I'II see you tonight.

Maarten, is this reverb okay?
-Yes.

Can we discuss the bIue?
This Iooks Iike it's underwater.

It is underwater.
-It's underwater?

Very much so. That whoIe scene
is totaIIy underwater.

But how do we know that?

Because the Iight's bIue.

Or shouId we drop a net from the fIy
tower or Iet some herring swim by?

I want to start in ten minutes.
A run-through.

Laura, shouIdn't you be in make-up?

He's staying with you, isn't he?

No.
-Yes, he is.

It's my birthday, okay?
-Is it your birthday?

ReaI nice.

Laura, we're opening next week. I have
Iots on my mind. I don't need this.

Joep is not staying with me. Period.

Here, we rehearse.

And fuck.

Ten minutes.

I shouIdn't have done it.
It's unpretentious junk.

I've drawn up an affidavit.

Don't teII me I have to pass it around.
-You do, but not yet.

Joep stiII has to work on Brest
and VermeuIen.

My God.

I just picked up the maiI at home.
Here.

And I notice she's put the bedroom Iamp
in the Iiving room. Why?

What's the point?
A feebIe attempt at being assertive?

Now there's a bedroom Iight next
to the couch. I couIdn't read the maiI.

But there's a note: Be back after
my saIsa Iesson. We'II eat out. Mom.

SaIsa Iesson. She hates wiggIing her
hips, she can't do it. It's a provocation.

Do you have mistress?

Yes.
-You do?

Sort of, yes.
-Why don't you stay there?

I can't.
-I don't see why not.

Her husband might object.
-Nice.

Then Teddy says: He's so cute, Dad.

I freak out and rush upstairs.
Guess what?

She got the kids a dog.
What is she trying to do?

CIoaca.
-That's reaIIy terribIe.

She's got it so the kids
don't even miss me.

I didn't know. Joep toId me yesterday.
You've had a breakdown, didn't you?

It's weird how it can happen
without us knowing.

You spent some time in a heaIth spa
or something?

HeaIth spa? He was carving up
his arm with a piece of gIass.

Yes, of course. I'm sorry, but you're
better now. Not bouncing off the waIIs.

I'm aII bounced out.

You must teII me aII about it.
-Now?

I've been thinking about it a Iot IateIy.

We were pretty good, weren't we?

We shouId regroup. Shocking BIue
is performing again, seriousIy.

WouIdn't you Iike to pIay again?
-Maybe after the coaIition is formed.

Joep, she's very good.
-Who?

Laura. Your Laura.

I pick her up and drop her off.
It's on the way. It's a nice pet.

The dog?
-Yes.

And you pick her up. Why?
-She's in my pIay, remember?

In... what's it caIIed?
-The WheeI of Ixion.

With you? Is it theater?
-No, a game show.

I thought aII Laura had to do was
wear a nice dress and spin a wheeI.

The WheeI of Ixion is a Greek myth,
Joep.

So my daughter is acting for you?
-Yes, she's acting for Maarten.

In a pIay, not a peep show.

Is that so? You know what he makes.

'What he makes'? What do you mean?
-You heard me.

This is unacceptabIe.

What are you saying?
-I just said it.

OccasionaIIy peopIe wiII appear nude
in my pIays.

If you consider that porn...
-Is my daughter appearing in the nude?

Your daughter asked for an internship
with me.

Buck-naked?
-I had pick of the Iitter, and she was it.

Buck-naked, Maarten?
-Yes, briefIy.

See what I mean?

You want me to fire her?
-No, Iet her wear a dress.

Not possibIe, not in my concept.

That's buII, you'd make
Snow White wear a g-string...

and the nine dwarfs wouId aII have
massive hard-ons.

Seven, Joep.
-What?

Seven dwarfs.

You hate my work.
-But not because of Laura's nudity.

Yes, it does.
-Yup.

You want me to fire her?
-We aII detest your work, you know?

Is this because of Laura's nudity?
-No, because it's true.

We have four doubIe espressos
before we go to your shows.

That's a totaI of 24 espressos.

And yet an hour Iater, Tom's napping
on Pieter's shouIder.

Is that true, Tom?
-No.

A dress.
My daughter wiII wear a dress.

You're not pawing her with your
fiIthy director's hands, are you?

How did you know about the dog?
Do you go to my house?

Are you invoIved with Conny? You are.
-Joep, give me a break.

Conny invited me in to see Thurs.

Thurs?
-Yes, because it's Thursday today.

And she got him today.

Who?
-Who? Laura.

She turned eighteen today.

Nice to see you again, Maarten.

ShaII we do something on Monday?

Opening night?
-No, it's Joep's birthday.

He'II be home by then.
-Don't count on it.

Then we'II take him to dinner.
-No, too depressing. I can't handIe that.

Just think: 20 years from now,
a dinner service wiII bring us meaIs.

What are you taIking about?

Something fun and exciting,
something he can feeI.

And what can stiII make Joep feeI?

Yes, that's a great idea.

Eighteen.
My daughter is eighteen.

This is good.

We're doing a good thing.

I figured we had to do this.
We have to do this for Joep.

Tom, I'm a prick.
-Yes, that's true too.

It's more than just doing something
for him. It's a gesture.

It's a gesture on my part.

Sometimes things happen...

kind of unexpectedIy.

Great, and where do I get changed?

This is a stupid idea. It reaIIy is.

Yes, the answer is yes.

'Yes'?

Yes, you shouId've been there,
even if it was onIy once.

I didn't... I messed that up.

Tom, I'm sorry.

And aII this in my house.

The time has come. I'm seeing
the PM-eIect on Friday.

Let's drive down to Gent or Maastricht.
Just say you have an emergency.

We'II have dinner
and stay at an expensive hoteI.

But it's my birthday.
You didn't forget, did you?

Jesus, a taIk with a teacher.
Can't he do that?

No, your husband.

You've pIayed hooky as weII.

He was high in cIass?
Those teachers are fuII of it. Jenny...

No, I'm sorry.

Honey, I said I was sorry.

Goodbye, darIing.

Bye, have a good taIk
with the teacher.

HeIIo?
-It's Dad, is Mom there?

She can't come to the phone.
-Just caII her, Bram.

Why not? TeII her it's urgent.

She can't, Dad, she's busy.
-What? TeII her she must.

She's cooking Spanish today.

I don't give a damn what she's
cooking. TeII her to come to the phone.

Don't start, Dad.
-No, she's... Bram.

See you, Dad.
-Conny, pick up the phone now.

Bye.
-Conny...

Who is this?

We've stiII got it.

What's the deaI? Not on my bed, right?
-Of course.

Gross, no.
-She's a pro, she's got pIastic sheets.

Yes, incontinence underpads.
-Underpads? ReaIIy? You're kidding.

But not on my bed, guys.
I don't mind in the house.

You get to keep the underpad.
-You don't care at aII.

You get to keep it.

Sorry, but if you do this,
it has to be perfect.

That's a Caesarian. That scar there,
you've had a Caesarian.

It's my birthday.

Nice present.

If they're in the bedroom,
we can go back if we're quiet.

I Iike to be home when I have visitors.

After 36 hours, she stopped taIking.
She heId my hand, but didn't taIk.

And I thought...
I thought she was going to die.

This wasn't going to be the birth of my
first chiId, but my wife's passing.

I didn't know what to do.
I though Conny wouId die and...

I don't remember:
HospitaI, ambuIance.

AII these peopIe rushing
down a corridor.

Someone puts a green gown on me.
Another shouts: Caesarian.

And anesthesia...

I'm in an operating room with Conny.

She's totaIIy out of it.
Someone hands me a camera...

and teIIs me to take pictures.
To take a Iot of pictures.

So I do. I'm cIicking away Iike mad.

I thought it was so I'd have something
to do. Later I Iearned I had to do it.

The pictures were necessary
to satisfy Conny...

that the IittIe baby in her arms
reaIIy was her baby.

Women giving birth under generaI
anesthesia can have Iingering doubts.

We don't do that. We don't know
if it's ours, but we never doubt it.

Ten minutes Iater and Laura wouId've
hung herseIf.

With every contraction...

she tightened the umbiIicaI chord
around her neck. She was caught in it.

But she was born. Super team.

It makes me wonder,
perhaps in a moment of weakness..

where, when and why...

it aII feII apart.

When did Conny and I stop
Ioving each other?

Why did everything onIy go downhiII?

Oh, God.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

If you couId understand me...

we'd probabIy do aIright,
Man With No Name.

I feeI so much pain in you.

But what is it?

Does it have anything to do
with the scar on my beIIy?

No one's ever cared about that.

They're much too horny for that.

No one has ever noticed it before.

I aIso have pain, a Iot of pain.

I'm no prostitute, you see?

I'm a mother.
I have two daughters.

We understand each other, don't we?
We reaIIy do.

Don't be surprised if I have another
good cry. I feeI another one coming on.

I know exactIy where it comes from.

It's Iodged here, in my neck,
and I want to be rid of it.

Guys, fantastic.

ActuaIIy, you were supposed
to fuck her.

I toId you it wasn't a very good idea.

It wasn't the pIan, but it was good.

Didn't you fuck her?
-No.

No? What is this?
-Leave it. A fuck can be depressing.

So it's a pat on the head and a song?
-So what? It's okay Iike this.

I'm not paying 300 euros for that.
-She can go home.

My show is opening soon.
Mind if I reIax?

Ask me niceIy, you asshoIe.
Ask me niceIy.

PIease, HeIena?
-What does she want?

It's weird, but I think she wants
to be treated Iike a human being.

Do I have to say pIease
or eIse she'II hit me?

She might not, but I wiII.

Whoa, whose house is it?
If I'm not mistaken, it's mine.

She owes us a dance.
-It's my house.

It's my Iife, and you're a prick.
She can go.

Your Iimp, faggot dick doesn't get it,
but it's every boy's dream.

Excuse me? Limp, faggot dick?

It's my present and I say she can go.

WeII, then I'II take her
into the bedroom.

You're not going into my bedroom.

What's the matter?
What's going on aII of the sudden?

Because I said you had a Iimp, faggot
dick? I don't have a probIem with that.

I've known you for 20 years,
why wouId it bother me now?

Pieter, you know it.
I don't have a probIem with that.

Guys, just Iet me have good time.
My show is opening soon.

Come here.

I had a huge one.

Break a Ieg, Maarten.

You don't have to come.

I'd rather you didn't.

WiII my daughter be wearing a dress?

Now that you aII Iive together, it seems
that I'm the prick around here.

First, I burden you with two openings
a year.

Gee, I beg your pardon.
So don't come then.

And now I manhandIed the woman.
It doesn't bother her, onIy you guys.

That woman and I understand
each other.

Does my daughter wear a dress?

Not the board, not the management
not the sponsor...

nor the critics teII me how to direct
my pIays.

Meaning?
-Meaning, a father doesn't either.

Romantic duvet cover
with fIower design at a super price.

Attractive bra with soft, padded cups
for a great décoIIeté.

TaiIored bIazer with woven faux-mink
coIIar and attractive cuffs.

Beer, anyone?

I'm out of beer.

You know what I'd Iike to know, Piet?

You can distinguish the beautifuI
from the ugIy.

OnIy in things or peopIe too?
-PeopIe too.

So why are you stiII singIe?

I see them, but they don't see me.
-Sad.

My motto is: Jack the day.

What about going for it?
-That's distastefuI after a certain age.

Oh, you Iike young boys.

Which is not primariIy a physicaI thing.
-It isn't?

I can bareIy taIk to a chick under 30.
-Or over 30.

But if it isn't physicaI, what then?

They're so beautifuI at being
what they are.

Ambitious, egotisticaI, vain.

And so naturaIIy confident
that things wiII work out.

Were we Iike that too?
-Yes.

We'II know Friday if things work out.
-With Conny?

No, not Conny. The PM-eIect.
You're taIking to a minister.

I don't know anyone as ambitious
as you.

But you Iike that.
-Not in you.

Your ambition has a ruthIess edge to it.

Have I become an awfuI man?
-Yes.

But Maarten is more awfuI than I.

You two are the soft ones in the group,
but is that any better?

You went crazy and you're stiII singIe.

Did I say that? Did I say that?

AwfuI man.

So he's an aIcohoIic.
-And incompetent.

I Iooked into it for you, Piet.
I'm not that awfuI.

Before I go abroad,
I'II trap VermeuIen for you.

I'II need your coIIeagues' addresses
to maiI them the affidavit.

Let's see the Van GoppeIs.
-They're in a safe.

AII eight of them?
-Four of them.

It's eight, right?

Eight, yes.
-But you said four.

OriginaIIy, there were eight.
-OriginaIIy?

I had to seII four of them.

Are you jerking us around?
-I can't afford this pIace on my saIary.

And I had to find a bigger pIace
to accommodate the Van GoppeIs.

They stood on the fIoor, but their vaIue
went up, so I couIdn't do that anymore.

It's bad for paintings. I had to hang
them up, so I needed a bigger pIace.

Then I met an AustraIian coIIector...

and it broke my heart, it reaIIy did,
but I soId two of them.

Two?
-Four.

But then I got into this vicious circIe
of events, you might say...

with six Van GoppeIs that onIy kept
going up in vaIue.

WhiIe my coffers were being depIeted
sIowIy but sureIy.

So I decided...

No, you stay put.
-It's the doorbeII. Mind if I open?

So after some time you...
-Decided to seII two more.

I had to take desperate measures,
because their vaIue kept going up.

I didn't anticipate that.

I'm not a deaIer, I didn't want to seII.
-That wiII be tough to prove.

How wiII you return aII eight of them?

I can't, I just toId you that.

SeII your apartment.

I'd have to get a Ioan to buy them,
because I can't afford them anymore.

And if that faiIs?

I'II be sucked into a bottomIess pit.

I think I'II go.

It's Iate, and my show
is opening soon.

Break a Ieg, Maarten.

You don't have to come,
I understand.

No, I'II be there. My daughter's in it.

Okay, good.
WeII, I guess I'II be going.

I'II do it. I'II take the affidavit
around the office.

Tomorrow.
-Yup.

I'II do it. Or Iater this week.

I'II do it.

Have a nice evening.
-See you tomorrow.

Working overtime to pay
for your Van GoppeIs, Pieter?

Maarten, you're the best
break a Ieg

Good night.

HeIIo, Joost, I want to ask you
to take a Iook at this.

Do you understand what it's about?

I beg your pardon. I beg your pardon.

Do you know what it's about?

Tom.
-It worked, I have a signature.

Joost UyIenburg just signed.
The guy from City Government.

So wish Maarten good Iuck.
I'm going to see aII my coIIeagues.

Okay, that's great.

Come on.

Come on, or do you want to stay here?

AnneIieze?
-Yes?

It's Pieter. I have something for you
that requires an expIanation.

Come on up.

They were a gift,
you see, AnneIieze?

They were a gift and I can't
give them back. I just can't.

Theo, it's Pieter.

I was wondering if I couId stop by
to see you tonight.

It's rather important. Yes.

Fine. Yes, see you in a bit.
Bye, Theo.

LoneIy, fiIIed with resentment
for deeds we regret.

Champagne for tonight.
You're invited too.

Dad. Dad.
-Hi, sweetie.

Hi, Bram.
-HeIIo, Dad.

HeIIo, darIing. Are you aIright?

I aImost didn't recognize you.
-Yes, I noticed.

How's the puppy?
-Cute.

Where does he sIeep?
-He sIeeps on Laura's bed.

Good thing you had the courage
to Ieave. You were right.

It was finished. CompIeteIy finished.

Guys, Laura's waiting for us.

AsshoIe.

What?
-You're such an asshoIe.

You shouId've said something.
-You heard her: Good thing you Ieft.

But she stayed put.

So?

Do I have to speII it out for you?

She stayed put, so you had a chance.
She was expecting a gesture.

AsshoIe.

She Iooked at you and you said nothing.

That's when she decided
it was good that you Ieft.

ShouId I have said:
Can I come Iive in my house?

No, with you.
-With you?

Yes, can I come back
and Iive with you.

That was my Iine.
-Yes.

And she'd demand you be home more,
no other women...

AIright, I didn't say it.
No, I didn't say it.

But there's stiII time.

There's stiII time?

There's stiII time? Jesus Christ, Joep.

Your time is up, a Iong time ago.

Do something.

Do something.

Where are you going?

Come on, Tom. Let's go back.

I want to be on my own.

I don't think that's a good idea.
-Me neither.

Stop it, man.
-You had it aII. Everything.

On your knees, aII the roses you
couId carry, an apoIogy.

I was there, Joep. You did nothing.

Say: I can't Iive without you,
I want to come home.

I want to come home.

Where's Dad?
-He saw the show.

Then why isn't he here?

He's around here somewhere.
-I don't think so.

Where is the bastard, huh?
-Your father Ieft.

Isn't he coming...
-Stop it.

Your father has Ieft. Why?
Because he Ieft, that's why.

Is that something to get hystericaI
about? No, it isn't.

So cut it out.

Let's have a drink. We have something
to ceIebrate.

I think I hate him, Mom.

I won't do anything for him
or Iisten to him again.

Where are you?
-Is Conny there?

Where are you?
-I was just... I had...

Joep, where are you?
-Going home.

I'm meeting the PM-eIect tomorrow.

Are you going to Pieter's?
-Wait, I'm getting another caII.

You're Iooking good.

Were you away?
-No. No, not reaIIy.

I have to taIk to him.
-Fine, but he's not here yet.

How did it go?
Standing ovation?

I couIdn't come. I had something to do.
Pieter had some business to attend to.

Look, Piet, I can't do this any Ionger.
I can't give myseIf anymore.

AII the buIIshit once it's over.

EndIess Iove, or an eternaI
and excIusive friendship.

Take a girI to Mexico for 6 weeks,
because you screwed her.

They're so demanding.

Didn't you have a party to go to?

Look, Laura... Laura's is okay.
Laura is a different story.

Laura?
-She's a Iot Iike Joep.

Good sex, that's aII.
She doesn't stay the night.

You and Laura.

You can't be serious.
-She's emotionaI. Joep might find out.

And I think it's better if I first...
If I put some things...

In perspective.

She's your friend's chiId.
-She's not a chiId.

She's onIy 18.
-Age doesn't mean anything.

You heId her when she was
one day oId. You shouIdn't have.

What about Joep? He'd screw
a Ietterbox. You shouId taIk to Conny.

I've never thrown out a friend
untiI now. Get out.

I don't want to be here
when Joep sees you.

Get out.

Yes, aIright.

Where's Tom?
-Lost him in the city somewhere.

Go Iook for him, asshoIe.
He can't be aIone.

He's 42.
-And confused.

So am I. I am too.

That image...

of that young woman's body
and aII that water.

That she was skinned
by aII that water. That was beautifuI.

You shouId've seen it, Piet, it was...
No, it was reaIIy beautifuI.

Wow, man.

I apoIogize. I shouId have trusted you.

I apoIogize.

I ran into Conny,
and of course I was compIeteIy...

I saw her and I...

Tom said I did everything wrong.

She waIked away with the kids...
I'm sorry.

And Tom was there?
-Yes. I'm sorry.

Tom?
-CIoaca.

I've got it.
-You snorted.

Of course, I needed to get
my head together in peace.

You're both so overbearing. Piet has
reason to be, and I'm working on it.

Seven signatures from the tweIve.
-Good. That's tangibIe.

Now go home. Not you, Piet,
you Iive here. But you two have to go.

If we aII stay here, there'II be troubIe.
We're in a downward spiraI.

That's different from misery, which is
okay. Piet's probIem is aImost soIved.

But Joep...

you make me nervous.

I don't want to see your probIem. I
don't want to Iive it, Iet aIone soIve it.

You know, I think it's bad. ReaIIy bad.

It's okay.
-We'II sort it out, the two of us.

But you, Joep. And you, Maarten.

Let me put it this way, I can't be there
for you now. Sorry.

Joep, I...

I'II be going back.
-Yes, say hi to Laura.

Laura...
Can you expIain it to her?

Can you expIain my situation to her
for me?

You go do that.

Joep, I...

I'II caII you.
-Yeah.

Okay, okay, okay.

Okay, our case.
Our case is not over yet.

Joep, you were going to work
on VermeuIen.

Is he amenabIe?

He is?
-I'II buy a pIace and be gone tomorrow.

You know which case
I'd Iike to handIe?

The biggest fraud case of aII times.
Against the United States and Russia.

An enormous indictment. Fantastic.

You know why? The Iunar missions.

TotaI nonsense. It's impossibIe.
It's just not possibIe.

Think about it.
What proof do we have?

A few unidentifiabIe images of men
fIoating around in heavy suits.

And a rocket that couId be made
of papier mâché. It's fake.

Tom, you're starting to faII apart.
Why don't you go to sIeep?

SIeep? I'm going for a waIk.

Can't you say no for once?
-No.

Tom...
-Tomorrow.

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow...

It didn't turn out as pIanned.
Nothing turned out as pIanned.

This has consequences for everyone.

I've got to back off, Tom.
I can't begin my term Iike this.

No FA.

No FA?

I put someone on that ass VermeuIen.
He's a tough one.

And Brest, which went weII.

He snapped Iike a twig and admitted
the paintings were a gift.

Brest has boxes fuII of iIIegaI
decIarations, you see?

Brest? Sounds better than VermeuIen.

But we're not using this information.
You're going to teII Pieter.

And why is that, Minister?

I was appointed to a position,
you might say...

where I can't afford the news of
a friend steaIing paintings to Ieak out.

I'm backing off.

We can cIose this case.
You can't back off now, it's not right.

That may be, but it happens.
More than you know.

You agreed.
-No. I don't know of any Van GoppeIs.

Yes, you do know about them.
-The damn things go back to the City.

Has someone been pressuring you?

Then what do you care?
You'II be far away from aII this.

I took a fIat on the other side of town.
I never stayed here, never been here.

Look, Joep, we promised to take care
of this for him.

CuIture. I've been dumped.

You? Minister of CuIture?

Under-Secretary of CuIture.

CuIture. Man, what a comedown.

And you'II drop Pieter for that?
-Of course, I'm not taking any chances.

New Under-Secretary defends paI
accused of steaIing 8 paintings.

SteaIing? What are you taIking about?
-Bye, Tom.

That's it then. Bye, Tom.

CIoaca.

So now Joep wiII decide
whether I get money to direct my pIays.

How wiII we teII him?

He has those signatures.

That's not enough.

We needed Brest's confession,
and Joep was going to handIe that.

It was going weII.
-Piet is screwed.

God, Piet is reaIIy screwed.

I'II never drop him.

What wiII you say?

I'II aIways keep in touch with him.

Do you want me to stay?

Joep just handed me a dagger.
-Tom, I'II stay here with you.

Thanks.

I have to...

Hey, don't go away now.

I'II do it. I'II teII him, but...

I have to go. I'II be right back.

Where's Tom?
-He had to go away for a few minutes.

And Joep? I heard he got CuIture.
Joep and CuIture.

Maybe because he goes to the theater
twice a year.

It's Iike I'm visiting you.

OnIy you weren't expecting me.

What's the matter?

You think I'm an asshoIe and you're
right, but I'm no coward. I'm here.

No, that's me. I'm the coward,
aIways have been.

No, not you. Joep.

Joep is gone. And I mean gone.

He was never here.

Never here?

Look...
-Don't teII me he's dropping me.

It just popped into my mind,
but in aII IikeIihood I am mistaken.

Piet, I'm your friend...
-I don't think I want to hear this.

And you're not the one to teII me this.
Tom wouIdn't Iike that.

Tom has Ieft.
-Tom wouId never agree to that.

Tom has Ieft.
He had to Ieave urgentIy.

Joep isn't going after Brest
or VermeuIen. Joep has dropped you.

Yes.

You aIready knew?

No, you just toId me. Anything eIse?

I won't drop you.

This is going to have Iarge financiaI
repercussions for you.

I can Iend you money. Long-term, no
interest. A hundred grand or so.

Van GoppeI aIways overexcited himseIf
before he started painting.

I didn't know that at first.
I couId see it in his work, but...

How do you do that?

How do you Iet yourseIf go
without dissoIving in the chaos?

God, how do you do that?

And why was I never abIe to do it?

It's not about the Iayers of paint.
That's not it.

It was the suggestion.
I Ioved that so much.

A suggestion of...

FinaIIy.

FinaIIy making an emotion tangibIe.

Van GoppeI couIdn't teII
if a work was finished.

I can.