Original subtitles

A NETFLIX SERIES

Nice! And move your face to the left.

Just like that. Beautiful!

And look at the book.

It's very easy to be hated when you're a woman who has power,

but my life is just like everybody else's.

I try to find a work-life balance,

combine my role as a woman,

a businesswoman, a mom, and now also as an executive.

I think a lot of Perfect Guide's readers can relate to that.

- Hmm. - So how do you manage?

Do you consider yourself a feminist?

Absolutely, of course. Can you be anything else in this world?

[funk music plays]

Good morning.

[Vivianne titters]

Your alarm went off a while ago.

It was really annoying.

Fuck!

- [knocking on door] - [Denise] Shit.

Who's that?

I don't know.

Friedrich!

- [Friedrich] Can I come in? - [Vivianne] Yes.

I'm sorry about the cruise.

I should've been there for you.

It's unforgivable.

These things happen.

It went fine anyway.

Are you sure?

Denise can be a bit...

a bit difficult.

It went great.

- So you forgive me? - There's nothing to forgive.

[Friedrich] Have you had a visitor?

[loud bang]

Maybe we can talk later?

[Friedrich grunts]

[Friedrich] Of course.

I understand.

I'm sorry.

[door slams]

Denise will be here any minute.

- Some coffee? - No, thanks.

Okay. Do you want coffee?

Here.

Serve these.

I'm supposed to help Ronny.

We've lost half our authors.

If we don't charm our way to a contract with some of them,

neither you or Ronny will have a job.

Here.

[clears his throat]

Can I offer you some cookies?

- Really tasty, they're chocolate. - [woman] No, thanks.

[woman] Hey!

- Aren't you Max the Grower? - [Max] Yes.

Man, I love your pictures. You're so relaxing.

Thank you.

It's just incredible. You look just like in the pictures.

Are you publishing a book here?

- [Max] I'm just the IT technician. - Yes, he certainly is.

That's how we work here.

We find what's unique and we nurture it.

We're so proud of Max.

[woman 2] Max, can I ask you something?

My mom's roses... The leaves, like, curl up.

- Why do you think that happens? - It could be several...

- Denise! Hi! - [Denise] Hi!

- Where have you been? - I just had a meeting that ran late.

Sorry I'm late.

If you follow me,

we'll now give a presentation on our new projects.

Bring your coffee and everything.

Come, come.

Great, I'm so glad you're here!

I'll DM you on Insta.

[in monotonous tone] "He looked at me."

"And it was there, right then, that I knew that... [clears throat]

that nothing would ever be the same."

Yeah... So that was it. Then...

Fantastic! Great!

Maybe a bit more...

I don't know, but try again.

[man reading in monotonous tone] "He looked at me."

"And it was there, right then,

that I knew that nothing would ever be..."

Not that I get the point of this audio book nonsense,

but if you narrate a text, it shouldn't sound like a grocery list!

Do you even know what the words mean?

- Yes, I wrote it. - [Friedrich] Dear God!

- Friedrich, I don't think... - [Friedrich sighs]

Clearly, something very important has happened.

That has to be conveyed.

[in dramatic tone] "He looked at me."

"And it was then, right there,

that I knew that nothing would ever...

be the same."

[in dramatic tone] "He looked at me."

"And it was there, right then,

that I knew that nothing would ever be the same."

How hard can it be?

[in monotonous tone] "Some things don't become real until they are told."

"And that's how..."

[in dramatic tone] "Some things don't become real until they are told."

"And that's how it was with him."

Absolutely, and I've got plenty of new ideas.

[woman] That's great! I'm so excited!

Heya!

Hi, excuse me.

Is Max the Grower still here?

He's busy, so...

Okay...

Can you just remind him to check his DM's?

It's about the rose.

If I see him.

Yes, thank you. Lovely.

What is "the rose"?

Erm...

Well, Max will get it.

Okay. You know, I'll be sleeping at his place.

I can bring it up then.

Yeah, great.

Yes. Because we're together, so...

Super, so you'll remind him.

- Yes. - Yes.

- I will. - Bye.

Bye!

[violent clacking]

These are just test photos from Max's Insta account

to give you a feel for what direction we want to go with the cover shoot.

At first, I was going to suggest something like this, but this morning after...

You came in closer to noon.

- Ten o'clock is still morning. - Yes, definitely.

- Okay. - For half of the meeting they wanted...

They just wanted to talk about you, Max. So now I suggest we take this route.

Imagine The Naked Chef, but The Naked Gardner instead.

And Max values simplicity. Pure, naked plants.

Isn't it a bit passé to allude to sex?

Twenty years ago, sure. But now?

I think it would sell just as well.

Right.

Maybe Max isn't okay with it.

No, I'm cool with it. It's fine.

Great. Lovely. That's settled. Good.

Sorry,

but the people who were here have posted about Max's book.

- Aftonbladet wants a comment. - I'll come help you. Thank you, Caroline.

- I'll be right back, but keep discussing. - Okay.

Wonderful.

Lots of nice pictures.

Hey?

Mm?

How are you?

Yeah, good.

Which one would you choose?

Denise can choose, she's better at it.

I like that one.

Yes, it's really nice. But it won't sell.

Your hands aren't that nice.

[Max chuckles] Yeah, true.

It was nice to hear that you're proud of me.

I'm proud of you, too.

I'm... I'm worried about you.

[cell phone rings]

It's Perfect Guide.

Sofie.

- Hi, it's Emelie. - Hi!

It's going to be a strong and honest piece about you and the publishing house.

Great to hear. Lovely.

I'd just like to ask a few more questions about your childhood.

- I understand your dad just passed away. - No!

Oh, I'm sorry. Wait...

There must be some mistake here. So he's alive?

No, he...

No, he...

It's still fresh. It wasn't long ago.

So...

I understand.

But it would be interesting to hear more about this strength you have.

Is that from your childhood?

How was your relationship with your dad?

TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FEELING

Hello?

[sombre music plays]

I think I see him.

It's not unusual to see those who have died.

It's a natural part of the grieving process.

Okay.

How long does that last?

I think we should start with you writing down

in which situations he appears.

I want you to make a note of when you see or hear him.

And when we meet next week...

Next week?

There must be a quicker way, some trick to make him disappear. Right?

Have you given any thought to why you might be seeing him?

No. What do you mean?

Do you think there's...

a reason as to why he appears?

Is there?

No.

I don't have time for questions.

I need a practical solution to this.

If you're looking for a quick fix, maybe you're in need of an exorcism.

Or... Yeah.

That was an attempt at a joke.

[church bell rings]

[quiet organ music playing]

- Can I help you? - [Sofie] Yes.

- I have a question. - [priest] Okay.

Are you allowed to kill yourself?

Well, allowed... How do you mean?

It's a sin, isn't it? To take your own life?

We no longer talk about sin.

What God can provide is security.

Security?

- Yes. - Okay.

Hmm.

You don't do exorcisms here, do you?

No...

No.

Maybe you should see a psychologist.

[elevator pings]

Sofie! I need to talk to you.

Yeah, not now.

So, 42% of the population suffer from insomnia.

Forty two percent!

Sleep problems have doubled in the last 20 years.

It's a market that's expanding every year!

So I'm thinking, let's make sleep content!

Let's make audio books that are great to fall asleep to.

If they fall asleep while they're listening, they can't turn it off.

The money would just keep rolling in.

Yeah, that sounds great.

Awesome! This is going to be fantastic.

"Lund & Lagerstedt - we make you sleep!" But there's one problem...

No, okay.

But...

Sorry to bother you.

But when you were reading... I got an idea.

No.

- You don't know what I'm going to suggest. - The answer is no.

I don't have time for nonsense.

I have to focus on my... label.

Ah! But that only exists as long as Lund & Lagerstedt exists.

- And Sofie's authorized me to... - What do you want?

I want you to narrate a few books. Your passion in there was amazing!

Okay.

Okay!

- Okay, what? - My own literary salon to host talks.

If Lund & Lagerstedt agree to fund it, then maybe I can narrate a few books.

[cell phone rings]

ELIN

Hi, Elin. Sorry I haven't called you back.

- You know The Goop Lab? - Yes, you always talk about that show.

The breathing guy,

who helps people have breakthroughs, is married to a Swedish woman.

He's in Stockholm.

He's running a course.

I was supposed to go with Sanna, but she got scared because it's hardcore.

Everyone who's done it says you become a totally new person...

Okay, well, I'm in.

Are you serious?

Yes, absolutely. Why not?

[in dramatic tone] "He came like a whirlwind one April evening,

wearing a Höganäs pot in a belt around his neck."

[Ronny] Nice.

Just one more time.

And...

a bit...

slower.

Take it again.

[reading slowly] "He... came... like a whirl..."

And if you could lean a bit closer to the microphone as well.

That'd be good.

- Can you hear me? - Yes, perfectly.

But I still think...

a bit closer would be good, and...

And if you puff a little, into the microphone.

No, you're right. That...

Yeah.

You're right.

Maybe you could whisper.

- Whisper? - Mm.

- Strindberg? - Yes.

I know how to read Strindberg, and it isn't whispering.

- Is it okay if I go? - Yes, you can go.

[Ronny sighs]

[whispering breathily] "He came... like a whirlwind...

one...

April evening...

wearing... a Höganäs pot...

in a... belt...

around... his neck."

♪ Good evening ♪

♪ Good night ♪

♪ With roses covered ♪

♪ With cloves adorned ♪

[meditation music playing]

You...

and you...

and you.

You, too!

You have all been made to think

that you are so much smaller than you really are.

And sadness

is nothing but a toxic slag product.

And the answer to it is a physical detox.

Let your bodies work.

Expose yourself to a little pain, ladies.

And then you can be born again

as a new and stronger human being!

By controlling your breathing,

we're going to break down your defenses,

so that you can finally get in touch

with your true inner strength!

Are you ready for that, ladies?

Let's reset your minds!

- In! Out! - [heavy breathing]

In! Out!

One, two, three, in! One, two, three, out!

[playful drum music plays]

Brilliant, ladies. That's 5 minutes, 55 to go!

Rebirth!

Breathe!

Excellent!

[heavy breathing continues]

Breathe!

Out! In!

Out!

If you faint, don't worry.

Just get up again.

Self-development is not for the faint-hearted!

You just have to continue. Continue!

Breathe!

In! Out!

Wow! Amazing, ladies!

Fantastic! So powerful!

Thank you so much for today!

Wonderful!

- Would anyone like to share? - Yes, I just have to say thank you.

- It felt as if I slipped out of my body. - Right.

And that everything became like... What's it called? Bright!

[guru] An out-of-body experience! You're well on your way, sweetheart.

- Great. - [Elin] Thank you.

And you?

Er...

I felt the same way as her.

It's a process. Maybe next time, honey.

And you?

Are you okay?

I'm such a failure.

- What... - I can't do anything.

It's completely meaningless.

What's wrong with me?

I'm about to lose my job as a copywriter because I don't have any ideas, none.

A copywriter needs ideas.

Katrin Zytomierska was completely reborn here.

But for me, nothing happens. Nothing!

I've been to God knows how many psychologists,

but it's an endless loop.

Everything feels so empty and meaningless, and no one has any answers.

I've tried everything. I even went to a priest last week.

I have to go.

Yeah...

[playful music plays]

[cell phone rings]

- It's Sofie. - Hi. It's Emelie.

We got cut off earlier, and the piece is going to print.

- We were talking about your dad. - Right.

There's... There's not much more to say.

I know you said it's still fresh. That's exactly why.

Having a wound is so hot right now. Just think about Sommarpratarna.

- It would boost you and the company. - I understand that, but it's not a wound.

And I actually don't feel the need to keep poking it.

- But... - [Dad] Quite right.

Never sell your pain.

- Hello? - [shouting] Can't you just stop?

I'll stop when you start.

Start what?

Living.

Look who's talking.

Sofie...

- I just want to... - [shouting] No!

Hello?

Sofie?

Hello?

[emotional music plays]

I'LL CALL YOU LATER, OKAY?

OKAY.

YOU NEVER CALLED?

OKAY, I SEE. CALL ME WHEN YOU CAN.

COME OVER.

- [Denise laughs] No, I didn't. - Why did you hide this morning?

[Denise laughs]

I wasn't hiding.

Would you be ashamed to be seen with me?

We don't really stand for the same things, so to speak.

Oh.

So you're scared of being seen as a hypocrite?

- Thank you. - Do you feel like hypocrite?

I'm an analyst.

I do analyses on power, gender, sales...

I know what's right and wrong.

I know what you should think, what you shouldn't think.

It's almost like I've become so good at it that I...

Sorry.

You must think this is so boring.

I don't.

Go on.

It's almost like I've become so good at it,

that I can't tell the difference between what I actually think and feel,

and what I've decided to think and feel.

[Vivianne chuckles]

What can you say about yourself that's true?

[Denise scoffs]

I don't know.

[Denise groans]

Maybe that I actually...

have no clue about anything at all.

[doorbell rings]

You asked me to come over?

[Max] What's happened?

[Sofie] I can't tell you.

I can't think anymore.

It's just...

coursing through me in all directions at once.

It's like I've fallen from reality. Like... I can't make sense of anything.

It sounds like you need to rest.

- To find some sort of tranquility. - But I don't know where to go.

It just keeps pushing.

It's never quiet. It won't leave me alone.

I'd like to see your allotment sometime.

Cut it out. You don't want that.

- No. - No.

[emotional ballad plays]

[Sofie laughs]

[emotional ballad fades out]

[creaking]

[thud]

[pages turning]

[pages turning]

[Dad] Come on, this is not good literature.

It's some late-stage capitalist shit, man.

["White Nights" by Oh Land playing]

Subtitle translation by: Josephine Roos Henriksson