All language subtitles for Papa est parti, maman aussi (1989) PAL.DVDRip-LSDP_eng

Dad is Gone, Mom Too

Laurette, do you have permission?

What permission?

To smoke.

Dad always says there's nothing
worse for your health than tobacco.

Eight milligrams of nicotine,
0.8 of tar.

That's a lot of milligrams.

Surely enough to die very young,
like my friend Mariette.

Your friend Mariette died
in a train accident.

Can I?

If you want to vomit,

eat as much as you can.

Why are you already dressed?

Not already. Still.

And you? Why did you get up already?

And you're afraid to go running with Dad?

Today will be a Sunday without jogging.

Dad got tired of his party?

Well if you have any other questions,
don't bother!

Why are you angry?

Because I'm not an only child!

It was a party with great people,

but Laurette was there

to be the maid.

You want to taste
Laurette's good chocolate?

You'll burn his beak!

It's my mouse.
It's me who knows if it's too hot,

not you.

The mouse will drown!

You can be...

Paméla, you killed your little mouse!

Is it true that she is murdered?

Even such a stupid mouse wouldn't
be fidgeting so much if she were dead.

And it's a mouse inside and out,
not a plush toy.

So if you want your mouse
to grow old...

The mouse will grow old in the drawer?

Shut up and drink your chocolate.

I want more. This smells like mouse.

So leave.

I must tell you.

There's no reason I
should keep this to myself,

even if it is disgusting.

You're going to tell us
something disgusting?

What is that, in your opinion?

A fridge.

A fridge with blood because a
vampire was disguised as a guest.

That's clever.

It's not blood, it's ketchup.

Mom doused Dad with ketchup.

To get his beautiful, brand new tuxedo dirty.

Mom was drunk?

She was mad with rage.

Coming for ice cubes,

she found Dad doing
inappropriate things

with an unseemly girl.

What are inappropriate things?

The kind of girl...

I don't even know who brought
this girl.

And you should have seen Dad.

These things happen.

These are things that never
happened before.

And mom screamed. Screamed like crazy.

And Dad called her "Mrs. Ball Breaker."

What is a Mrs. Ball Breaker?

She's a lady...

Oh, Manu!

They've never argued like that before.

And Dad left.

By car at night.

And he woke me up starting so fast

that his gearbox must've been fucked.

Gone where?

Mom said he was going to calm his
nerves on the Paris ring road,

and that he would come back when he
ran out of gas.

That he is unable to leave
his house, his comfort,

but that she

had taken her travel bag,

and took everything she could in it.

And she screamed that it's over.
Finished.

That she still had five or ten years

not to become a useless good woman,

like all the others.

She called for a taxi.

She left, too.

She left like crazy.

Gone to tell her big problems
to her dear friend Jackie?

By drinking orange vodka?

It sounded more serious than that.

Mom often talked to me about the
exhilarating life she could have lived,

that she didn't live it because of all of us.

She thought more and more of
wonderful countries, where without us,

she could have done great things
with great people.

Are those countries far away?

No, with jet planes it's not far.

We're ready!

Didn't I tell you to watch
TV quietly?

TV? Either it's not for children,

or it's for children and it
makes them myopic and stupid.

Dad promised if we were good all

week, we could go to the
ice rink on Sunday.

I don't want us to be on our
best behavior for nothing.

There are girls from my high school,
and even more boys,

who I can go with to see a movie
or for a walk.

I'm nice, I'll stay here with you.

So you can forget about me
taking you to your rink.

You go to the garden and do

all the bullshit you want.

I don't think so.
We're going to piss you off,

because the more we are bored,
the more annoying we get.

For the ice rink, I said no.

Stop!
You're gonna bring us both down!

Manu, hurry up!

Try not to fall, okay?

It doesn't matter. I didn't hurt myself.

I'm just upset.

But stay there!

Who are you calling?

No one.

What's the point of phoning no one?

I'll try to see if Mom is still
at Jackie's.

It still doesn't pick-up.

What are you looking for?
Do you want to get a sprain?

- Come on, we'll get Manu. We're leaving.
- I didn't even have time to have fun!

Well, you'll get your sprain at home.

Go go!

A little champagne.

A little red.

You want some?

Will you let go of me?

It's good. It's only calories!

If in thirty seconds you
aren't under your covers...

Mom will come and say goodnight to us?

What, do you want me to strangle you?

“Children, it's Mom."

“Mom, loving you so, so, much."

Mom who hopes you have

a nice Sunday with your dad,

and who will call you back
quickly, quickly, quickly.

Well, it hasn't been a good
Sunday with our dad.

It was fab-u-lous.

Hey, how many students are there, huh?

Yeah, just me.

Let me see. Hey, you should do
classes like this.

Alright, come on, bye!

- See you, come on!
- See you!

Are you coming back with your Third World colleagues?

They're the only nice guys in my high school.

Hey, are you coming, Yalloud?

And they're unattractive guys.

We just attacked people in the subway.

Stealing purses, raping.

No news from Dad.

And Mom left a message.

Aren't you listening?

She didn't say when she's coming home.

She didn't even say where she is.
She said nothing. Nothing,

and you don't care!

You don't care!

No, I don't care, Laurette.

Only, that's me. I don't get upset.

Because I get upset!

Oh, I'm upset! I'm upset!

It's still cleaner, isn't it?

Your parents invited hooligans?

Their damage says a little. Your
Saturday party, we're shutting it down.

And a half hour before schools starts
I find none of you are ready,

I would say a few things if
I were your parent...

If you were my parent, you
wouldn't be here, Madame Leurrier.

Where would I be?

You would be...

If I told you they're gone,

that they flew away.

Flown away?

Did your panties fly off too?

My panties?

No, I was joking. My parents have
friends who invited them to the provinces.

Their car broke down.

Alright I'm going to get dressed.
Will you put on water for the chocolate?

I'll put on the water!

You started to smoke?

Smoke? Me? Never.

You could have put on panties.

Oh, don't bother me.
You know they still haven't come back?

So what?

Mom called, but Dad...

You don't think he had an accident, do you?

An accident? Him?

Not even if he tried on purpose. No.

His plan is to be in the
record book.

To be the dentist who burned the
most gasoline on the Paris ring road.

Poor guy.

You have parents who tell you
that they're leaving,

and who really go away.

Here, at my high school,

without the North Africans, the Asians,
the sons of parents on the run,

there wouldn't even be enough to
make a soccer team.

And Manu, aren't you taking him to school?

Manu is bathing in his pee.

Messy boys don't wet the bed,

sick boys wet the bed.

What do you have? Cholera? The plague?

I got a very high fever.

You have nothing.

You don't have a gram of fever.

Come on, stand up.

- I will get up only when Mom is here.
- I said, stand up.

We won't tell anyone about the pee.

I will tell everyone.

If you do that, Pam...

I'm going to pee in bed too.

You go and you finish lunch
in the kitchen.

I never have lunch in the kitchen.

Today you have lunch.

Please turn around!

Thank you for coming, Laurette!

Jackie! Jackie, wait for me.
I need to talk to you!

Oh, Laurette. You're cute.
Call me in a

half an hour at my work, because
this morning,

Monday mornings, I don't know why...

But wait for me, I have to talk to you!

Mom...

is she at your place?

You seem distressed.

I asked you if Mom was at your house.

No.

She's not at my house.

Where is she then?

Where is she?

My little Laurette, your mom
had a terrible shock.

Why don't you tell me where she is?

Léa doesn't want your father to know
where she is. She doesn't want to see him anymore.

He was despicable with her.
Despicable!

You're afraid I'll spill it to Dad,
is that it?

Don't say stupid things.

Your mother has...

is a bit out of phase, disoriented,
but she is calm.

I talked for hours on the phone
with her.

In fact, it's been a long time
since she looked in the mirror.

And what your mother needs...

To leave her children to take
care of others?

Papuans? Baby Eskimos?

Listen Laurette, you're not
a kid anymore. You're smart.

Léa's such a good person.

She absolutely relies on
your understanding, you know.

It's difficult, I know.

For me, my divorce,

when I was informed, that
made me hysterical,

but eventually one day it
became unliveable with Nicolas...

If you knew how little I give a fuck

about your Nicolas, about your divorce.

If you take it like that!

- I thought you were pretty smart, quite composed...
- I'm not composed, I'm not smart.

I'm thick and stupid!

So stupid that...

You have to leave your mother
some time to rest,

to find herself, and to see things clearly.

You have your father!

He can take good care of you
two or three days, right?

Of course he can take care
of us!

Laurette!

Either he's there or he's not!

His consultations begin at
nine o'clock?

The doctor is a little late.

Anyway, I don't see any
appointments open before Thursday.

Of course, if it's urgent...

What's urgent, is that I want
to speak to my father.

You mean that Dr. Milleret...

His former assistant was
less stupid than you,

but at least she knew who was
and was not my father.

Fine,

it's a slight delay. It won't last
until the harvest.

So when he comes back...

- I'll tell him that his daughter...
- You tell him whatever you want!

Whatever you want!

You also have people who say
they're leaving,

and who really go away.

Here, at my high school,

without the North Africans,
the Asians,

the sons of parents on the run...

On the run.

On the run.

What is it with us?

A prison with bars?

Already that evening which
never finished,

these unbelievable nights,

should also turn into a tragedy...

I'm disgusted.

Disgusted.

Hello?
"Hello?"

Dr. Milleret, he's still not there?

"No, the doctor still hasn't arrived."

"Hello?"

Notice: Lost dentist on the Paris ring road.

On the ring road, or elsewhere.

Elsewhere, where there are no little pissant
children always doing stupid things.

And an eldest son to mock.

Not to mention the wife.

And the eldest daughter.

Laurette,

who is no longer interested in anything
since a train jerk killed

the only real girlfriend she had.

I bet you're going to tell me
this unmanageable thing is yours?

Yeah, that's my burger.

Well, it's not so good, is it?

It's not a good burger.

I don't know how much
they charged you for this but...

Can I drink it?

Thanks.

What else can I offer you?

Dessert and a coffee?

A little pastry would be fine.

- A pastry?
- Mmmmm.

- Would a pastry be okay?
- Mmmmm.

That should do?

- I would have preferred a carrot cake.
- Oh.

But hey, it's true that finding
a carrot cake in Paris is...

Ah.

You didn't tell me your name, I believe.

Me, it's Lucien, and I know that
it's a ridiculous name.

I'm right, eh?

If you want to taste it, you say so, huh?

And then you tell me your name too,

because lunch with a stranger, me...

Laurette.

And it's a very pretty name.

Can we know Laurette,

why you let me eat your burger, and

why you offered me this beautiful cake?

- Because I'm stupid.
- Laurette!

I'll tell you one thing
I never told anyone. Nobody!

Well, this lunch together,

the two of us, it's great, right?

It's true, it's great.

Well normally I should be
quite happy. But I'm not.

I am not, and will never be happy.

Because I will never be an
American writer.

You mean like Hemingway, Faulkner?

No, more like Kerouac. Jack Kerouac.

Or any other author.

Not even awful.

But one who was lucky enough
to be born in Brooklyn,

or anywhere in Nebraska or Connecticut.

I mean, a real American writer.

Well, you'll just have to become a French writer.

That, for sure. When your name is Lucien,

Lucien Fourquin. Working hard,

you can win the Goncourt Prize
or an academic position, yes.

- I may suck, but I don't see...
- No, you don't suck.

First of all, you gave me some good advice.

- I don't remember.
- Yes, you did.

You told me "You just have to
become a French writer."

It escaped me.

Escape!

That's what we're going to do.

Americans say it's the meanest
of pythons.

This is the royal python,
I believe.

That's the same as before.

That's Tupinambis teguixin.

This is the reticulated python.

That's the big one from Bengal.
Look. Look at the head.

And here is the monster,

the reticulated python,
the biggest snake in the zoo.

But why are you afraid, Laurette?

Look, this python is so cute.

Ah, a monkey. Even a mammal

as dumb as this bunch,

always has someone to feed him

or to talk to.

But for cold-blooded animals,
there's nobody.

Maybe their blood has turned cold

because nobody is nice to them.

But I will see them. I like them.

Look!

Look how beautiful it is!

I think your name is beautiful, don't you?

Not only do I have a sorry first name,

I have a father who intentionally
gave me that name.

Couldn't he have found a name less
exotic than Lucien?

He's an optician, Papa Fourquin,
a saint of a man. I will kill him...

I'll kill him with
my desire to go to America

and my mania for sleeping everywhere
other than at home.

Don't you think we should kiss?

We don't have to, Laurette.

Yes, you're right, we don't have to.

We'll go our separate ways, then.

Because we don't have to kiss?

Yes, and no.

Because I have a little brother and
a little sister waiting for me.

Little brothers and sisters are demanding.

They have homework to do

and want me to play boring
games with them.

No, I have to go.

I'll accompany you.

No, don't bother. It's close.

Maybe we'll meet again.

Kerouac, what did he write?

I have read billions of books,
but Kerouac... That's one in your pocket?

Yes. In my pocket.

Here. A gift.

Well thank you. We don't have to,
I know.

- Still here, Madame Leurrier?
- Still here.

My husband won't have his soup on time.

Still here because your mother has not
returned from the province, where she broke down.

That Paméla, poor darling,

can't find her mouse.
Manu is sick...

No, Manu is not sick.
It's all in his head. This morning...

He hasn't stopped all morning.
It's twenty past six and I'm done

at five o'clock, so my little Laurette...

Go on, take off,

I'll take care of everything. That's it,
I'll take care of everything, eh.

You're welcome. I will take care of nothing.

Why didn't you come looking for
me at school?

Because I don't need you.

Forget that you didn't come looking for me
at school, but there's my mouse...

You have no more Mom, no more Dad,
but you miss your mouse?!

So you're going to find it
yourself and let me read.

I am horribly unhappy.

Unhappiness is excellent.
It makes you grow.

Who's phoning?

Dad?

Where are you calling from? From the ring road?
What happened to you?

- Laurette, who's calling?
- You answer nothing?

I ask you what happened, you don't
answer, you...

I scream?
Why shouldn't I scream?

We've all been freaking out for two days!

Yes, two days!

Mom?

Well, would you want her to be?

No, she doesn't want to, she said if the
phone rings and it's your father,

I don't want to talk to him!

She will speak to you when you
come back. Not before!

When are you coming back?

You don't know. You can't tell me that either!

So obviously, if you can't say anything...

This story is too stupid!
It's too dumb!

I only have here the names
Tonquiens, Monquiens, Rounquiens...

I will also see all the Luciens,
but I'll have to call his father...

Laurette, my mouse...

What about your mouse? What now?

My mouse is a bitch.

Do you know what a bitch is?

It's a mouse you can't find anymore.

It's exactly that.
Have you looked under all the beds?

Under all.

If Manu were not sick, he could
help me.

But with the fever he has...

Oh 38.2, it's a half-aspirin case.

Are you going to call the doctor?

Doctor for thirty-eight.

It's thirty-eight two.
That's two more!

It's the same.

It's not the same.
It will still go up.

It's turning into a real coma.

I will die like little
Freddie on TV.

Freddie fell off a horse.

That's not true. That was another time
when he fell off a horse.

In the episode where he died,

it was because of a fever.

Alright, I'll get your aspirin.

You said a half.

His half an aspirin.

I can't swallow it.

I'll force it down your throat.

It has to be mom who forces
it down my throat.

I got mom on the phone.

She has a friend who is having a baby,
so she must stay with her.

To help her lay?

It's birds that lay, not Mom's friends.

Come on, swallow.

And Dad?

Dad is in Marseilles.

At an ontology conference.

Are we going to look for my Mimiquette?

Ah, because her name is Mimiquette?

I didn't know her name before.

But I had to

find one to be able to call her.
- Come on, let's get your Mimiquette.

Good night, Manu.

Until tomorrow!

Mimiquette!

Mimiquette!

Don't move. Something's moving over there.

Is it Mimiquette?

Who do you want it to be? Eliot Ness?

Come on, let's attack. Come gently.

Careful. I'll turn it off.

I'm going to be scared.

Not more than me.

Something near the noise is moving.

It's not Mimiquette.

Which of the two ate Mimiquette?
I'll kill him.

Your mouse is too smart to be
eaten by those fatsos.

These are indoor cats.

I can kill one anyway.
It will serve as an example to them.

Kill as much as you want
but in the dark.

Cannibal.

She wasn't a nasty mouse to be eaten.

She was a friendly mouse
bought at Saint Maritaine

to be pampered.

We'll buy you another one.

It won't be my Mimiquette.

It's sentimental. It was a gift
from my dad who is gone forever.

Oh? For all time?

When fathers leave on TV, it's forever.

The children live on the street full of

snow, very cold.

I will continue my grief tomorrow.
I'm too sleepy.

I'm going to bed.

Without brushing your teeth?

You're worse than Mom.

Do you have any Redskin buddies too?

I have a buddy. His name is Yalloud.

Since he saw you yesterday...
Since he saw you...

He's complicated, Yalloud.

His sister, she was two months
younger than me.

You know what his sister did?

She committed suicide.

Suicide?

It was in the newspapers.

She threw herself under the subway
in Châtelet.

I knew her. A little black-haired
girl, who looked like nothing.

She was cut in two.

Under the subway?

Who's the guy in the blue jacket?

I know,

in my high school there are more spies
than in James Bond films.

His name is Lucien.

He knows it's a ridiculous name.

But he's very nice.

What else?

Well, ask your secret agents.

One told a story that you kissed him

on the mouth at the Jardin des Plantes.

But I didn't believe it.

Well you were wrong.

Going to bed?

I'm going to bed, but I'm
not saying goodnight to you!

Jérôme.

This morning with Jackie,

and later, on the phone with Dad, I...

What?

It's true that I get upset, but

I don't understand anything that's happening.

You have nothing to understand,
my older sister.

That's life.

Oh, surely not.

When it's so ugly, it can't be life.

So what is it?

"Dear Madam,

a virus brutally hit my
children and obliges them, alas,

to miss high school and elementary school."

Are you taking me to school today?

To school? In your condition?

I have no condition!

Yes, you have one Pam.
You are sick. Very sick.

It's not me who's sick, it's Manu.

It's all of us. We're victims
of an epidemic.

“A virus has brutally hit my
children and obliges them to miss,

alas, high school and elementary school."

Who wrote this?

Mom.

Liar!

"Léa

Milleret"

Dad's whiskey works against the virus?

It's good for girls who are depressed.
You want some?

If I never go to school again,

won't I become an illiterate person?

Knowing how to read, you know...

Do you see these books?

I have read them all. All!

Even those not for my age.
But I didn't know Kerouac.

Note that Kerouac,

was the kind of boy who would
eat your hamburger,

with whom you spent a fantastic
afternoon, and who...

The virus is not a horror yet.

The horror occurs when Uncle Scrooge
has nothing left in his stomach.

What will Dad say about
you touching the family treasure?

Let's forget Dad, okay?

And Mom too.

Greetings, Madame Leurrier.

Another day without school?

It would be unreasonable to go
with the fever we all have.

I know about fever, and
I can guarantee that...

You still have to post this
letter from Mom when you leave.

Your mother isn't here but she
still does her mail?

Yes Mrs. Leurrier, do you mind?

The kind of person you're becoming!

And the dump this house is becoming.

If you no longer like the house,
Mrs. Lure...

What do you want to tell me there, huh?
What do you want to tell me?

And to smoke, and eat nothing
but rice pudding.

What does it all mean?

Because it should rhyme?

You know what I'd do if I listened to myself?

Well, please do listen to yourself,
Madame Leurrier,

if it spares us from listening to you.

That's it, my little Laurette!

That's it!

Your mother, who isn't here,

can send me my salary and allowances.
Because I...

Because I...

My light!

Don't be afraid. I'll find out
why we can't see anything.

Who is it?

Dracula!

What the hell is this?

It's nothing.

You take it, but don't start a fire.

And go back to sleep.

It's very bad for Manu's typhoid.

What's happening?

Did you blow the fuses, or is it worse?

Could things be worse?

Ask your computer.

It wasn't programmed

to fix a dilapidated house.

Mom's disgusting letter to Dad,

that you carefully hid in
the sideboard drawer...

I found it and I read it.

So what?

And so I'm trying to find stuff
about Halley's Comet.

I don't see the connection.

There isn't any.

But, infinite space compared to
this shitty house...

I'm going to tell you something, Laurette.

Your tasty rice pudding...

that's it, I've had enough.

- If you think I'm enjoying this...
- I don't think anything. I see what I see.

- But sometimes it makes me want to...
- Want to what?

Listen Laurette, you're a pain in the ass.

Why did you fire Mrs. Leurrier?

It was she who left.

Right. It was her. She's also the one
who said Pam should go to school more.

That you spend the days with

your bare butt showing, and to...
- And to what?

To nothing. I'm going to change the fuses.

It's not in my best interest
to tell you this but,

wanting to see life so darkly
at your age...

Where is Lucien?

Lucien?

To know where he is, that one...

It's like having a son.

He's a shooting star.

He comes and goes

as it please him.

Mop,

that's all Lucien knows how to do.

I was looking for you,
Mrs. Leurrier.

I was looking for you to apologize.

I was rude the other day.

I should not have been.
I'm sorry.

You miss the brave fool who
wears herself out

so that Mademoiselle always has
her little things clean?

Sorry.

If you could come back...

Apologizing is too easy, Laurette.

Too easy.

Do you want my apologies or not?

A madhouse, ghost parents,

temperamental children.

Very well, Mrs. Leurrier. Stay home.

...the turtles slept on their backs.

Turtles slept on their backs.

They dreamed that they were racing,

and beat the Big Dipper in a sprint.

In the state of Colorado,

a turtle was sleeping on its back.

She dreamed that she was racing,

and sprinted...

You then,

you make them wait for your visits!
Luckily I was here.

Lucien was hoping you'd arrive.

That would surprise me.

Yes, he was yearning to see you arrive.
You're going to invite him to dinner, right?

Why?

Is the non-American writer hungry?

Hasn't he found a sucker to take
a hamburger from today?

Invite him to dinner so
everyone will be very happy.

Me, I'm going to kiss Manu.

If you want to cook for
freeloaders, don't be shy.

Don't panic.
My cooking is going to be delicious.

Eating only sugar is well-known
to make you obese.

Obesity is very pretty.

I will become obese.
I eat to become obese.

I have beautiful eyes, I know.

Yes, you also have the most beautiful
Fourquin glasses.

So, the optician?

He says you're a shooting star.

I do short walkabouts waiting
for the one great and true departure.

In the state of New York City,

in a loft, cheap, very small,

I will write millions of pages.

You will write the Great Novel,
Lucien Fourquin?

And not the slightest word
to anyone.

Because a great American novelist

never talks about what they're writing.

He's always on the run,

and doesn't give a damn that
everyone else is left losing their minds.

I have read and re-read your Kerouac.

It's great, right?

No, Lucien.

Your Kerouac spent his time
abandoning his mother,

his good friends, his buddies, everyone.

At least the people he lets down...

I'm here, Laurette.

You're here but where will you be tomorrow?

You know what, Laurette?

I've been chasing you since
the Jardin des Plantes.

But looking for a Laurette whose
name or address I do not know...

I don't believe you.

Your beloved cold-blooded creatures,

they may swallow your stories.

But I am a fragile, hot-blooded
creature.

A very fragile creature.

How's the blood of five-year-old cats?

- Hot or cold?
- They're hot, why?

Because we have two cats
to kill in the cellar.

Cats to kill?

Yes, they're bastards.
They ate my Mimiquette,

so...

In the state of Massachusetts,

two big cats were grooming themselves...

We don't even know their name.

I will tell you the story
of Tom Sawyer

and Huckleberry Finn.

They were two nice scoundrels.
So he will be Tom,

and he will be Huck, okay?

They're not nice, they're sulking.

It's because they don't like
water very much, but look.

Look how handsome Tom has become.

Should wash it again, the whole
thing stinks.

Hold on.

It's Mom's.
It's Shalimar. It should be fine.

That one's mine. He didn't
kill my Mimiquette. It was Huck.

Huck will be for you.

No way.

I already have a Manu,
a Paméla, and a Jérôme.

And a Lucien.

When are you going to purr?

Here.

Don't worry, you may be a cannibal
but we'll still fit you in.

I'm feverish and sick!
I don't want a cat!

Yes, you want it.

No, I don't want it.

You still want him to sleep there.

I don't want you either!

Besides, I don't even know
who you are,

and I don't want to know!

That's a ferocious tiger cat,
and I know fierce tiger cats.

You see? He wants to eat me
when I go to sleep.

I know very well what he will do!

This cat is not fierce.

And your fever...

Here...

smell how good it smells.

Oh, he smells like Mom.

Sleep well.

I'll try to take a nap,

and dream of Mom and Dad.

In the state of Massachusetts,

a Lucien and a Laurette,

will get lots of kisses,

on the beak and on the butt. Everywhere.

What is this great song?

Where is Lucien going to sleep?
In a bed by himself?

Is that any of your business?

No.

Oh, Pam!

The longer we are in bed,
the better we are.

Unlike sleeping elsewhere,

in this house you have to sleep
with a lot of girls.

You don't always have the chance to
find a bed with no one in it.

But most of the time I sleep
in empty houses,

on moth-eaten rugs. Once,

I even slept on a park bench.

With girls, how?

With girls, how?
Well, with good girls,

and then not so good girls.
It depends.

You know, it's not so much
for the girls,

but rather to sleep elsewhere.

So,

you're saying you'll sleep here?

With you?

It would be the first time for me.

For me it would be twice
the first time, Laurette.

The first time with a girl for
whom it's the first time,

and then the first time with you.

And you're...

If you're just going to leave afterwards...

The plane one day for America,

we could very well
take it together, right?

Laurette?

You cats, I don't know.
But we...

When I think of all the whoppers

the girls in high school were telling...

Their stories of sweaty boys,
stupid, brutal,

incapable of tenderness,
not able to...

And spouting nonsense to you before,
during, and after.

Lucien, he...

Mom would say that's regrettable.

She would say to me: "My little Laurette,
I really wasn't expecting this."

I didn't expect it either.
And yet it happened.

In fact, it hasn't quite
happened yet because Lucien...

But that's a good sign.

A sign that he was as
intimidated as me.

It must always happen to them,

the first time, to really
good boys.

But, once it's not the first time...

I'm coming. I'm coming.

- Hello you.
- It's you?

- Won't you kiss me?
- Well, yes.

You look a little funny.
Did you just get out of bed?

I was wondering when you'd
come back.

Your mom isn't coming back, Laurette.

Well, not yet.

What does that mean, not yet?

It means that if Léa ever
sets foot in this house again...

- This house? It's not her house anymore?!
- Stop...

Léa! You have to understand.

Leave it. I'll explain to Laurette.

Explain what?

Apart from your phone messages
which say nothing at all,

you know how many days that
the kids, Jérôme, and I...

- What did we do to you to treat us like that?
- My darling. My darling.

We'll talk about that later.
The two of us, more calmly.

Now I have to talk to your father.

He hasn't left for his office yet?

Left?

Yes.

No, he's upstairs in the shower.

Perfect, I'll go up to kiss my
little Manu, my little Pam.

No, Pam and Manu aren't there.

What do you mean they're not there?

No.

If you had arrived ten
minutes earlier...

Jérôme took them.

He has a friend who has a dog
who had puppies.

So...uhh...

before taking them to school...

...well, we couldn't have predicted this.

Oh, of course you couldn't foresee.

Ask your father to come down.

I wrote to him. He didn't even
answer me.

My lawyer called his office at least
ten times, without success.

Your lawyer?

A divorce lawyer, right?

I guess if it's like that,

it must be like that.

Laurette, it's your father.

You know well.

Alright, I'll tell Dad to come down.

Listen!

While you're at it, get
my blue suit,

my jewelry box,

and my crocodile pouch with my passport.

To go to far away countries to
do great things?!

Laurette!

Laurette!

Oh, the jewelry!

Laurette was going to forget the jewelry.

You smoke?

I thought for the lungs and the complexion...

And your father, is he coming down?

No, he's not coming down.

He doesn't want to see you like this.

He says... He says...

He says you don't have the right
to ruin a family.

He says it's really disgusting.

Oh, he's the one who says that?!

Listen, I hope for his sake
he finds more substantial arguments

in front of Attorney Lévy-Toutblanc.

And he can call her here,
and quickly at that.

What if I want to contact you?

You can call me

at 43 31...

No, Léa!

And I...

I can still give my phone number
to Laurette!

I know it's unpleasant, but

Laurette can understand, right?

And then Attorney Lévy-Toutblanc
knows how to reach Léa.

If there is a death in the family,

we'll let you know so you can send a wreath.
- Laurette!

Laurette!

Laurette, that's absurd!

What's absurd

is that you don't even have the
keys to our house anymore!

What's even more absurd

is that you let yourself be manipulated
by your bitch Jackie!

Laurette, I forbid you to talk like that!

You have nothing to forbid me. Nothing!

You could forbid me anything you
want if you were here.

But you're nowhere.

Jérôme and Pam and I are mad at
you at night!

I'll never understand your
reasons for not calling.

And neither can Manu and Pam.
So you divorce

and you take your passport
wherever you want.

You hear me?! Wherever you want!

As long as we have a father
who is here with us.

You're right, my kitten.

I only have one thing to do.

Just one thing.

A good French breakfast for Lucien.

No, not a French breakfast.

An American breakfast.

Your breakfast will be made for
you alone.

Lucien and me.

You wonder, huh?

You wonder what we're gonna do here?

It was agreed.

The first of us two who
meets a boy,

she would immediately introduce
him to the other.

There you go, Mariette. It's him.

Mariette, Lucien.

Lucien, Mariette.

All the bickering we've done.

We were very very underestimated.

It's fantastic.

And at the end of it all,
you know what will happen?

America. New York.

He's handsome, huh?

I am ridiculous?

Oh no, Laurette.

How beautiful you are.

You are beautiful like...

like a green bean.

And that's beautiful?

Of course, since it looks like you.

Mariette was going on vacation
in Spain

when it happened.

A derailment.

Since then I couldn't be
friends with anyone.

If you hadn't come to eat my burger...

Ah, your burger wasn't so good,

it's true. For real burgers,
I know the address.

You have to go to 42nd street
in New York.

I could find it with my eyes closed
just by following the smell.

The smell of a real hamburger.

I've never eaten one,

but that smell,
I have it in my head.

You know where this shirt
comes from, Laurette?

From Frisco.

This shirt doesn't need to be ironed.

Kerouac must have had the same, surely.

Look. Dry, clean,

in fifteen minutes, twelve seconds.
Yes, yes, I timed it once.

I want you to kiss me, but
not on the cheek.

You don't mind that I'm
crazy about you too?

On the contrary.

We won't tell Manu or Jérôme.

Okay.

It won't be hard since he
no longer sleeps here.

What are you talking about?

Jérôme didn't come home to sleep.

Leaving this house must be

like Manu's disease...

it's an epidemic.

Yalloud!

Have you seen Jérôme?

He didn't come home last night.

How would we know?

Last night we had a good time
like any other night.

He didn't come back.

Your dramas, your problems.

What did he tell you?

He doesn't need to tell.

I know him.

I could tell he was up to no good.

But I'll find him for you.
Don't worry.

Find him where?

Don't do a thing. Let me do it.

But, give and take.

If I return your crazy brother,
you come with me to the movies.

To the movies? Why?

Because.

And I choose the movie.

Not a funny movie.

Because funny movies don't make me laugh.

I went through hell to find you.

I'll meet you in a hotel like
someone without a home?

I decided to come and inform you

of only ugly things.

That Mom has thoughts of divorce.

That Mrs. Leurrier has gone underground.

That Manu is sick.

But it leaves you cold.

Your thoughts are elsewhere.

Somewhere else.

Because of the argument with Mom?

Ketchup?

What's up with you?

Do you love Mom anymore?

Do you love us anymore?

You don't miss telling Manu
and Pam stories in the evening

of elephant dentists and
giraffes with toothaches?

I miss it.

It may be monstrous but
I miss it and I don't miss it.

I cannot do anything about it.
It just fell into my lap.

My happy little bunch.

It became four children.

Children.

Mouths to feed.

You mean you'll never come back again?

Well, Laurette?

You're not listening to what
I'm telling you!

It's not that I don't want to go back.
It's that I...

Just thinking about it...

The living room, the bedroom, my office.

Everything that was my life.

I'm falling apart.

I can remember everything.

It's more than memories.

I wonder if these are my
memories or those of another.

And if I had come to tell you that
Jérôme no longer sleeps at home,

and that I sleep there, but with a boy?

These days, big boys sleeping around,
and even bigger girls sleeping around,

it's not the exception,

it's the rule.

It's like

World hunger, or the
slaughter of baby seals.

Of course it's scary.

But the anguish, me...

If only I could worry
for you. But no.

I know you're safe.

With your mom.

And don't tell me it's
depression,

I'm doing very well.

I have a young man's strength,
an impeccable heart.

What I need, you see,
is a sabbatical year,

which will last a month
or fifteen days or...

maybe less, I don't know.

Here.

When the duck in my office is empty,

we'll fill it.

But your mother knows very well that she
will never lack for anything, huh?

And Jérôme can buy himself

software.

And then you surely want

a dress, or a raincoat.

I would especially like...

My happy little bunch.

This is my life.

I have accepted it.

But we will meet again.

You call me whenever you want.

And then we'll have lunch together.

You tell me about yourself.

The carrot cake.

Miss?

Thanks, Lucien.

Yalloud.

Thanks.

Here, Ben.

Oh, nice.

Do you want it, Manu?

What is it, Manu?

You don't want my carrot cake?

You know, all the little
American boys eat it, huh?

Little American boys are
imperialists,

and carrots are for rabbits.

I'll go back to my sickbed,

to die.

When it's Christmas,

we die after the distribution
of gifts.

It's not really Christmas.

For me it is.

What about my gift?

Oh, a furry parrot.

“Oh, a furry parrot."

He heard that jerk?

“He heard that jerk?"

The tape recorder is in the brain.

He won't shut his filthy mouth
until his batteries run out.

- Bye and good night.
- Good night.

A nice second Christmas.

Does anyone dream of carrot cake?

No? No one?

Will you open it?

An American pen.

With American ink.

Awesome, thanks.

Thanks, Laurette.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks.

And Jérôme's gift,
what do I do with it?

We'll put it in the fridge.

But not for long.

Do you know where he is?

I adore you.

Even if I have to bring him back
from the planet Mars, I will,

because I care about my movie
with the white woman.

Is being Arab really that bad for you?

When I look at myself in the mirror,
I love myself.

But when it's the Parisians
of Paris who look at me

in the streets or in the subway...

But where were you born?

In Paris,

13th arrondissement.

I learned to read in French

at the commune on Jeanne d'Arc street.

I can read in French. Only in French.

So you're French.

He is.
But you wouldn't sleep with him.

Well, what would you like?
That I sleep with all the French?

Lucien, I'll take your fatma when
you don't want her anymore.

My ancestors would ask a price of

one donkey. But for Laurette,

I would have to ask for two.

It would be nice if you would
just forget about Laurette, okay?

In the state of Nebraska,

there's a cat that smells of poo.

"In the state of Nebraska,"

"there's a cat that smells of poo."

Have you heard how much he values you?
Two donkeys! Two!

And how far would you go?

I would go up to ten, maybe
even twenty.

But I would take Paméla with me.

And where would you take us?

I'd take you for a drink in New York.

But not just anywhere!
To Michael's Pub,

where Woody Allen plays the
clarinet.

And what would we do next?

Well, then we would send
Pam to bed,

and, well, we...

Wait, don't move, I'll be back.

In the state of Mississippi,

there's a cat that smells of pee.

"In the state of Mississippi,"

"there's a cat that smells of pee."

What is that?

This is my Christmas present to me.
It's my Christmas present for you.

The front is gorgeous. I couldn't
find a sexier one. You like it?

No Laurette. It's not even
that I don't like it. This is...

Why did you buy this horror?

Well don't look so sad.
It's a joke. It's for fun.

You can show your dirty
lingerie to Yalloud.

It might make him laugh.

To Yalloud? You're crazy!

You know it's you...
You're jealous, eh?

- Well, what are you doing?
- Excuse me, will you?

Where are you going?

Trying my pen.

In Dad's office?

I wouldn't write in an office
that stinks of money and bullshit.

I wouldn't sleep with a girl

dressed as a whore, either.

So if I want to write, I'll
go to the cellar.

Good evening, see you tomorrow.

What I wanted,

was to feel him beside me,

in my own bed.

Christmas is over!

Go screw yourself!

Everyone can go screw themselves!

What was it?

It was a poem for you.

But not pretty enough for you,
who's beauty is...

Like a green bean?

Yes. I'm jealous.

I'm jealous because...

It's funny. Even arguing with you

is better than not arguing
with others.

I'll write you a hundred poems.

Very beautiful ones, Laurette.

When I have money and tickets,
we will go to New York.

The cops will arrest us for
sleeping on the grass in Central Park.

Sleep how?

Sleep how?

Well, like this.

You call that sleeping?

I warn you this is the last time
you get snacks at night.

Tom! Tom!

Before the invention of water,

everyone ate chocolate like
that with a spoon.

It's impossible. I'm choking.

And whose fault is it we have
no more water?

Tom!

Oh, because it's your cat
who clogged the tub and

piping with modeling clay?

He wanted to take a bath with a
baby cat, so I made him one.

Well it would've been better
if you had taken the bath.

You're dirty!

And this hair!

Even lice wouldn't walk around
in that.

Lice are lousy.

You're still not buying my photo
for ten francs?

Isn't it more of a five-franc photo?

If you still won't buy it from me,
it will be a thousand-franc photo.

That's called blackmail.

I just have to tear it up.

I have another, well hidden,
like Mom and Dad.

Mom and Dad will never come back.
Just like the water.

I don't care. I'll do blackmail
in America with Lucien.

Who is it?

It's probably the police.

It seems they're on the trail
of a dwarf who sells photos.

You tear it up, eh. It's not
true that I have another one. I swear!

You tore it up, eh?

Hello. Registered letter for
Mr. Milleret.

Yes, that's my father.

He must sign there, and also there.

Yes, but he's sick.

- In bed. Stuck. So you give me that and then...
- No, no, the addressee must sign.

It doesn't matter. I'll come back.

No, but I'm telling you he's
bedridden. So you come in

and I'll make you some coffee.

A good coffee would be fine.

But without sugar, eh!

Because I have pounds to lose.
Six!

How do you manage to be thin?

I have an American writer
in my cellar.

American?

I'll make your coffee with milk.
We have no more water.

The electric coffee maker also
gave up the ghost.

Is he the American?

He's not quite American,
but he is...

You cannot know.

Well, my father is not actually
bedridden, and we don't have a cellar.

What are you, a student?

High school student.

Student on sabbatical.

La Fontaine High School, La Fontaine High School.
My director must miss me.

And bills, bills, bills.

- Is Postwoman a good job?
- No.

What will you do?

My father will be content to see
me take the lead in medicine,

or in physics.

My mother has much larger ambitions.

But I think I'll be happy.

Just happy.

It's not really a profession.

Not really, no.

Nevertheless...

This must be about divorce.

Ah, to gain weight,

the alcohol...

Laurette, Manu has gone mad!
Come quickly!

What's happening now?

Death is in the bedroom.

It has come to take me.

My magic sword, it doesn't work anymore.

I can't kill Death.

In all the time I've been treating
the Milleret tribe,

I've seen all kinds of things,
but this...

This fever's not huge, but persistent.

His reactions, bizarre.

So, now,

you're Laurette's older cousin?

- Lucien is our cousin.
- Yes, yes.

When do your parents return
from their cruise?

Well, this morning we received
a postcard from Athens.

They don't say when they're coming home,
but they're having a wonderful time.

May is the best month for Greece.

Well, you're still going to
send a telegram

to Martial and Léa to take
the first plane.

The first. Because little Manu,

it could be a microbe, a virus...
But the...

And you're going to get rid of
this lousy cat for me.

Damn it! You don't leave a
sick person in this filth.

You seem like a reasonable boy to me.

I don't want to see this beast here.

We have here all the symptoms
of cryptococcosis.

All the symptoms.

We already have Manu

and his cryptococcosis...

I must be careful not to
make enemies.

I'll be back.

If you don't know, you don't know.

Yes, but as soon as you know...
Yes, that's it, thank you.

His lawyer

and Jackie doesn't know.

My mother has disappeared.

Faded away.

And your father?

No longer at his shitty hotel.

Not anymore.

I can give him his shot.

If I didn't have you, my big cousin...

You have me.

Hold this for me.

The master of the universe will show
me his cute little butt.

I don't want him touching me
with his damned syringe.

You give him five minutes reprieve,

okay?

Okay.

You know what Nanar Fildenberg
did today at school?

What did he do?

He carried a flying fish

in a small suitcase

with large enough holes

so that the fish can breathe.

But not big enough

so that the fish

swims out of the suitcase.

Tomorrow morning, Nanar is

taking me to go fishing for
another flying fish, for Mom.

For a long time I have wanted
to catch another flying fish

for mom, as I no longer have
a mother.

You know what I'm gonna do?
I will die.

I'm going to close my eyes,
and I will become a dead little boy.

I lied to Jackie,

to Dad.

Lied to Mom,

lied to the high school,

even to Doctor Martin.

To everybody.

I did that.

Lie, lie, lie.

There's no reason why
I didn't lie to you too. And to me.

In any case,

making others unhappy to be happy...

I blame Dad and Mom.

And I do like them.
Exactly like them.

It's ugly.

So ugly.

That was the last time we kissed.

Oh, was that the last time?

They say it's a wish.

That I made a wish.

I'm so scared for Manu.

And what would your wish be, Laurette?

Until Manu gets better,

until I find Jérôme,

until everything here is back
to the way it was before...

you must go, Lucien.

I'm not going to leave you alone
when...

Please do.

If you stay, we'll...
we'll continue.

You need to get out of here.

Here is a little story I was
writing for Manu.

A story with beavers and Indians.
Will you read it to him?

Then you invent an ending.
A happy ending.

Your last kiss wasn't the last,
Laurette,

Yes, it was, Lucien.

Don't complicate everything.

Leaving for America, together...

well...

it still stands.

Everything still stands.
Everything.

Forget Lucien.

Things will be fine again.

Lucien makes toast with
peanut butter.

Peanuts are for monkeys, and
the monkey business is over.

Then you eat your sandwiches yourself.

Then you'll be late for school.

I want to remain illiterate!

Pam!

The resolutions you made...

the resolutions you made are so
shitty!

Bad words are over too.

What will become of this place
without Lucien and swear words?

Hell?

No improvement.

The injections were useless.

Did you wire your parents?

Wire to where?

They're not in Greece.

Their holidays, their cruise,
it was a lie.

And what can I tell you?

They both left.

I can't find them anywhere because
they're nowhere.

That is the truth!

Nowhere!

They are getting divorced.

I don't know what they're doing.
I don't know.

- Mom.
- Martial and Léa?

But how long has this been going on?

I don't count the days anymore.

A shock treatment is likely
to have no effect

because...

The diagnostic results are fine.

One can imagine diseases,

and some of these diseases

aren't trivial.

We're going to admit your brother
to Sick Children, and quickly.

Because for me, the symptoms
little Manu is presenting...

To Sick Children, the hospital?

Look, I'm a general practitioner,
not a pediatrician.

Even less, a specialist in...of...

I would only see Professor Chambrain

to rescue Manu. Only him

to get Manu off the hook. Only him.
Don't do anything.

I'll take care of everything.

Martial and Léa divorced...

When I tell my wife that...

No Jackie, Dad's not here.

He hasn't been here since
the ketchup night.

Yes, I lied.

It doesn't matter why.

The important thing, the urgent thing,
is that Mom comes back.

That you find her.

The thought of Manu in the
hospital is unbearable.

I beg you Jackie, it's very...

Yes, that's it. Thank you.

Laurette?

Well, what's wrong?

I can't take it anymore.

Not you!

Yes, me.

Are you bringing me mail to
fuck me up even further?

You'll see what I'm bringing you.

I was doing my rounds,

and what do I come across a few
streets from here? This!

Can we know what game you're playing?

I wasn't playing. I was running away.

- What?!
- I don't want to live with you in this house anymore.

Little bitch! Little bastard!
You fucking asshole!

Stop! Do you want to kill her or what?!

I don't know where I am anymore.

- Isn't the little one better?
- No.

You're the fucking asshole.
You made Dad and Mom leave.

I miss them. I miss them terribly.

"You're the fucking asshole."

"You made Dad and Mom leave.
I miss them."

To Nanar Fildenberg, my magic sword.

The electronic toy that
doesn't work anymore, to Paméla.

Won't you do my will?

Yes, yes, I'm writing it.

My mask and my fins to Jérôme.

My terrifying robot to...

A cup I have is for Nanar and Paméla.

Manu,

don't you think that...

My albums, such as

they are, are also for Jérôme.

For Jérôme.

And for Mom, you leave her nothing?

There is no Mom anymore.

If Mom were here,

she wouldn't let me die.

She wouldn't let me go to the
hospital for sick children.

Mom, when she was there,

she was a strong hand.

If I would continue to be this sick,

she would give me a good pair
of slaps.

And she would do it.

And would you get better?

I would have to.

A good pair of slaps?

Oh yes, that would cure me.

Slaps like that?

If you knew how much I love you.

Being sick

is really terrible,

but it's good too.

You're warm. You're pampering.

I'm going to pamper you, you'll see.

Sorry Pili Pili,

I need a Lucien.

Only a Lucien.

Your Lucien is coming back.

Like Mom and Dad.

Like Jérôme.

You have psychosomatic symptoms.
You have a lot.

I'll go make you a comforting
coffee.

Madam's kawa!

It's nice, Yalloud but...

Understood.

A raghead boy. Not real class.

What you need is a chink boy.

That would fill the bill.
Jérôme will find you one.

Jérôme? Do you know where he is?

There he is.

I made you a map, because to
find it...

You're sure?

He could only be at Thanh's.

Who is Thanh?

A Vietnamese who dropped out of
high school to get into business.

He resells stuff he didn't buy,
but he's a good guy.

And Jérôme sleeps at his house.

His house?

It seems he even got a job.

So, you drink your coffee and let's go?

No Yalloud, you stay here
to guard the two dwarfs.

I'll get Jérôme.

And tomorrow, the movies. At the first
screening, your unfunny film.

Pam!

What are you doing here?

It's up to you to tell me, isn't it?

I have a job here. With dresses.
Dresses for 10 francs each.

To earn that daily bowl of rice.

Have you become stupid, or what?

We don't shout here.

I'm happy here.

It's none of your business what I do,
or what I am.

It's nobody's business.

- Here, I found...
- What?

Wisdom, nirvana?
Have you become a Buddhist?

Here, I found people with whom
I'm comfortable.

People who have seen tragedy
and death.

People who have lost everything,
who want to live peacefully

and be forgotten.

We'll go have some Chinese tea.

I don't like Chinese tea.

I don't like you clowning around.

You're going home, Jérôme.

Don't you want to go home?

You don't want to talk to me?

Then, Bye.

Yalloud must be tired of babysitting.

Yalloud's in love with you.
I'm also in love with you.

What did you say?

When I saw you with that boy
in the living room,

I couldn't stand it.

Not because of that boy.

Because of you.

Yes, Laurette.

I would have liked to be in that
guy's place.

Girls never interested me before.

It wasn't my age, or that I was
retarded.

I found you neither beautiful nor
ugly.

You were there, part of the landscape.

High school, to be first in everything
if possible,

the swimming pool, outings with Ben
and Yalloud,

the nonsense of Manu, of Paméla,

TV, holidays,

walks for fitness with the whole tribe...

That was enough for me. I was
the good scout.

Glad to be called Jérôme,
happy to be called Milleret.

My bedroom, my computer,

Mrs. Leurrier, even.

Then there was Dad.

I could admire this guy.

Mom was also very good to me.

I thought we had an amazing
house,

we ate a lot, it was good.

Dad, Mom...

Their story freaked me out.

A hard blow.

And then I fell in love with
the girl on the living room couch.

You realize what you're telling me?

When you see him again, the dentist,
and his dear Léa,

you tell them they have a crazy son.

Deranged.

A son who wants to sleep with his sister.

So, Jérôme?

I saw him.

And so?

So I saw him.

What happened to you?

I've been cat hunting with
your little brother.

I don't know anything about rats,
but your rabid cat sure doesn't like them.

We have to clean this up. Don't move.

What's this?

A tattoo I got for 50 francs.

The cheapest.

I would have liked a sailboat,

or an eagle,

but that day I only had 50 francs
on me. That sucks, huh?

It's Lucien I love, you know that.

You know that I know it.

My father says that we are on
Earth to drool over as much as we can,

but after,

there is the Garden of Allah

with roses. Not 50-franc roses.

“Leave this room at ease."

"Go on."

"I love you."

"But that's none of your business anymore."

"I'll wait for you."

"And one day..."

"I will always be there for you,"

“And you will always be there for me."

You're not in love with me.

You feel good with me, huh?

Yes, I'm fine.

I'm going to pee.

Will you buy me an Eskimo bar?

Jumbo?

Yes, jumbo.

Please, Madam.

Did you see the little kitten
we found, Mom?

- Children, be nice to these little cats.
- Look how beautiful he is.

And Paméla's, did you see how
handsome he is?

One two. One two. One two.

- One two. One two.
- Hello, Laurette.

You're here?

Listen Laurette,

as soon as Jackie managed to reach me,
I came.

It seemed urgent, right?

I left it all behind and here I am.

Mom is doing a television show
in the Black Forest.

With a very important German

gentleman who can no longer
do without her.

Can you give me a moment?

I have to speak with Laurette.

I have to chat with you.

We have to chat?

Laurette. My big Laurette.

All this mess. All this disorder.

But why did you pretend your
father was here with you?

I'm afraid I lied about that.

You too, I told the whole world
and Dad that you were home.

It was so...

so pathetic.

But why did you come back, anyway?

To yell at me?

Have you seen your face?

What are all those letters from
your high school I found?

And Jérôme, and school for the little ones?

And the bathtub, which is clogged.
Have you seen the kitchen? What condition it's in?

And who's the German gentleman
who cannot do without you?

Mom!

- Laurette!
- Yes?

Can we talk about all of this
tomorrow at lunch?

Won't you stay?

Well, tomorrow we'll reorganize,

I'll try to get Mrs. Leurrier back.

You were so awkward with her.

And I'm going to find a plumber.

What about Dad?

Your father...

Your father is too attached to
his dear little self to

let go completely, you know.

To hit rock bottom
takes a bit of imagination and

your father is a man without ideals,

and without real anger against anything.

You should tell me about...

...Paméla told me his name...

Lucien? Who is this Lucien?

An okay kid I met when looking for
a Carambar at the end of the street.

You won't be able to help yourself
from imagining the worst,

so imagine the worst.

The worst?

Manu!

You see, I don't want drama.

In the state

of Rhode Island,

my love, I ask you,

will you take me as your wife?

In a church where they sing the blues.

What is the blues?

It's when you're black and you
get nothing but shit, shit, shit.

Even when you're not black, too.

Go to bed.

Go to bed now, because there's
school tommorrow.

School, that's tragic.

You treated me like a whore
but I didn't show the photo

to Mom.

Well, you should have.

No, I shouldn't have.

It would have been treachery.

Can you give me a kiss so I
go to bed happy?

Why would I kiss a girl who
doesn't love me anymore?

It's not true. I love you
excessively.

- I was dreaming.
- About me?

Exactly.

About some bastard who didn't call me.

I haven't stopped thinking about you, Laurette,
I haven't stopped. Here, look.

Paris-New York.

Two one-way tickets.

- How did you...
- I wanted it too much, too much!

So I sold everything. My discs,

my books.

I was even 600 francs short, but the
optician was fabulous and gave it to me,

calling me an unworthy son, of course.
But he looked at me and kissed me.

I'm sure Christopher Columbus'
father was not so nice.

My mother came back.

It's not really going well yet, but...
It's crazy.

She wants to arrange everything her way.

Her arrangements...

So,

leaving tomorrow morning at 9:50 a.m.

Okay?

- Tomorrow?
- Uh huh.

But don't you need any papers?

- Do you have your passport?
- Yes.

Well then, no problem.

The 9:50 a.m. charter. It's an
old, sickly plane for carrying

young students eager for knowledge.

Nothing like the Concorde.

Except for the red tape, they are
very cool.

And then, they take care of you

if you get air sick, Laurette.

You look at me as if...

Do you still want to go, Laurette?

What I want,

is for us to go up to my room quickly.

Leaving tomorrow,

I really must believe in it.

You have to tell me about it

in my ear, softly,

close to me.

Dad,

Mom,

I will hurt you, but

give and take.

You hurt me.

Too much.

When you read this letter,

the plane will have taken off.

The plane for a life elsewhere.

A good life.

A life without poisoning others,

and without poisoning oneself.

This messy period didn't mess me up.

On the contrary,

I wanted you,

I want you more.

But, I left.

So there it is.

Don't you think entering through
the door would be easier?

There's no more door to get
into this place.

There's more than one

to go out.

Do you really need your stuff?

My computer.

My books.

I've come back like this a
hundred times.

- And if you have the muscles...
- Oh, the muscles!

Jérôme!

Jérôme!

THREE MONTHS LATER...
Not so loud! My Mimiquette has an upset stomach!

That's not your Mimiquette.
She was white.

Being lost in a cellar makes a
mouse dirty.

I don't give you three months,
you'll see.

To win the gold medal at the
Disabled Marathon?

How's the kiwi soufflé?

I think it's going to be the
height of my career.

It's rising! It's rising!

You just missed it before it flew away.

Your Lucien couldn't take the
charter from New York.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but

only three letters from Greenwich
Village in three months...

Oh, the mail you know...

Me, I see him very clearly in
his little pad on Bleecker Street.

He scratches away like a madman
writing his American novel.

And one day, it won't be a letter
you receive,

it'll be his book.

What Lucien wants is to give you
a big, big surprise.

Love is also about wanting to
surprise each other.

You're right.

Love,

is to make surprises.

Huge surprises.

Laurette, Laurette,

what's up with you?

Why, in your mind,

Laurette, do you have ideas,

unreasonable for your age?

Laurette, why did you decide

to make this big,

oh big trip?

I left,

because one day,

in my head,

it was gray.

A boy saw me,

smiled at me.

And I fell

in love. Yes, in love.

And that love,

it's driving you crazy,

it makes you strong,

it pulls you in.

Now all that remains is to sniff
It's driving you crazy,

the smell of real hamburger. And then,
in wonderland.

we'll just breathe the true smell of happiness.
Even at night there was sunshine.

Laurette, Laurette,

why do you persist,

are you stubborn?

Laurette why are you telling yourself

fairy tales? It's not normal.

The real stories at the end of the day,

nine times out of ten,

they go wrong.

I left,

because I'm sure

I'll find him

very soon.

I left

to arrive.

To live only

months and love.

Because love

it gives everything,

the taste of honey.

It gives birth

to rainbows.

It prevents wrinkles from coming.

It makes you live instead of die.

Laurette, Laurette.

It's that dreams

come to an end.

When the day comes, and you wake up.

Why don't you want to listen?

Why do you turn away

when people tell you the truth?

I left

to hear more

of those who are old enough

to be wise,

and billions of

good reasons

to never need to

understand that it is love.

Nothing but love,

every day,

every hour,

a day and an hour

of happiness.

Keep your advice to yourself.

I'm going to meet my destiny.