"Big and Small Lies" "I used to like those hideous shoes worn by cutesy types." "Can a real pair of women's shoes make you more grown up?" "Damn!" "I used to work for a magazine at a cool place." "Can working for the same mag in a more stuffy place make you more serious?" "Can the shorter fall days make you more levelheaded?" "Tah-dah!" "Can the man you love make you a different woman?" "Happy birthday, love!" " Happy birthday, honey!" " Thanks, JP!" "Does having the same friend around mean you haven't changed?" "Maybe getting older means staying pretty much the same while changing into someone else: a new Clara." "This is great, guys!" "Thanks!" "A girl who wonders if 33 is really the start of maturity." "Clara, no!" "The icing!" " We're out of butter for toast." " I know where to steal some." "You're 33 now." "We've had three great years together." "Isn't it time we moved on to the next stage?" "You mean shoot ourselves in the head before we get into a rut?" "No, I mean try to live less like teenagers or tourists." "Accept the mundane side of life." "Screw the mundane!" "As for being like tourists, I adore sex tourism." "How about doing the groceries together this evening, then cooking a little dinner?" "I forgot to tell you." "Tonight, I'm seeing Jeanne." "She's speaking at an international law seminar." "I promised her I'd come." "And you promised her you'd party all night afterwards, right?" "I don't know about that." "We'll see." "You're allowed to go out without me." "Right now it's convenient, with all the work left for the show." "But it would be nice if we found the time..." "I'm hungry!" "I'll get some butter." "Don't move!" "Put everything back right now!" "I knew I'd catch you someday, Clara Sheller!" "What the hell are you doing with that?" "I bought it for the gay pride parade." "Wouldn't you be better off back in the closet?" "How come you still cause mayhem even though you moved out?" "See what you made me do?" "What I made you do?" "It's you who's raiding my fridge!" " Hi, Marc!" " Hi, Clara!" "I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed." "That's nice, but we already ate." " Hi, Marc." "How's it going?" " Hi, Gilles." " Your voice carries far." " Hi." "I'm leaving because I've got lots to do at the workshop." "Enjoy your seminar!" "Someone's gonna have to run after the subway train if she's not on JP's scooter in five minutes!" "Is Gilles stressed out about his show?" "A little, but he still brings me my coffee to bed each morning." "It's been three years." "Can you imagine?" "If I had as many faults as you, I'd get annoyed living with a man as perfect as him." "Why'd he say, "Enjoy your seminar"?" "I thought you were going to the Gods of the Stadium launch?" "Don't tell me..." "OK, so I lied to him." "And?" "He knows I won't cheat on him." "And if I have secrets, it's more exciting." "There's less of the snug little couple, see?" "But there's more of the crazy, pathetic liar." "I like Marc a lot." "I know." "You figure: "I'm with Gilles and JP's with Marc."" "It's fair, so it makes you feel better." " Why are you being so nasty?" " I'm not." "I just don't like it when you make us out to be the best couple on Earth." " You and your perfect boyfriend." " He's not that perfect!" "Oh, yeah?" "So what's his big flaw?" "Before becoming my boyfriend, didn't he kiss you?" "OK, he's fantastic." "But he still has a queer side." "In a straight guy, that's a virtue." "This elevator's incredibly slow." "Morning, JP." "Good morning, Miss Sheller." "Julien, you can call me Clara, you know." "OK, Clara." "But I don't mind going by last names." "The new one's pretty cute..." "but a bit uptight." "Not always." " No!" "You and Julien?" " You know my convictions:" " visible minorities come first." " You've heard, Clara?" "Yes, JP told me." "He's committed "body" and soul to his beliefs." "We're being audited." "Seems a few journalists have been here too long and cost too much." "You'll regret not being unionized." "Don't worry." "Your column is the only fun thing left in the new weekly." "Yeah, but fun isn't exactly a priority anymore." "I've never had fun at work." "And if I had to make a case for firing you, it'd be hard." "When your head's been in the clouds for three years, it's hard to suddenly question your professional worth." "Especially when, since the mag was bought, you've shared an office with a much younger and serious girl." " Hello, Clara." " Hello, Victoire." "Clara Sheller." "Yes, hold on." "Hello?" "Yes." "Thanks for the info." "Did you hear about the audit?" "We'll all have a performance evaluation." "I'd think it was a foregone conclusion after the merger." "It's just a formality." "The paper's very profitable." "You write enough to make it profitable by yourself." "Me with my poor old column that hasn't changed in years..." "I don't know where you get your inspiration." "You write great stuff..." "about nothing." "I love your column." "Reading it clears my mind." "Have you ever doubted me?" "I was told just now too!" "There won't be any layoffs!" "OK, Bertrand." "We know the spiel." "They audit us, we'll go on strike." "A strike!" "Get real!" "We should at least find out if the auditor's a man or woman." "A low-cut top can sometimes help save your job." "Pitting the union against management only makes us weak." "Free papers have made our success a rare achievement." "We need to stress that our success is due to our closely knit and innovative team." "There!" "Victoire summed it up better than I could've." "Thanks." "If that's all, we'll adjourn." "Gone are the days when I used to make people laugh in meetings." "Some worry more about the future than you do." "She's terrific, isn't she?" "It's important to have some new blood on the team." "I like to be in touch with my contemporaries." "You sleep with your contemporaries, or what?" "Don't be funny." "Victoire'll never mix feelings with work." "Unlike others." "We're going off to lunch." "Care to join us?" "Thanks, but I've been too in touch with my contemporaries." "Since you don't spend much time at your desk, it should be easy to keep out of each other's hair." "Sometimes, when you start losing faith in yourself you foolishly try to reassure yourself." "Julien, when you first saw me, what did you think of me?" "Professionally, or in general." "JP probably told you that I wouldn't respond to your charms." "But I find you very pretty." "You know it, but you pretend not to." "It's actually annoying." "And your little silly girl column is just a lot of hot air with pollen in it, and I'm allergic." "And you didn't have a comeback?" "I was afraid he'd think me a racist." "That's so racist of you!" "Discrimination!" "And Bertrand!" "You should see how he looks at his Victoire!" "So deep into her eyes, he looks glued to them." "Victoire and Bertrand." "You think...?" "No." "She doesn't need to sleep with him." "Isn't it disgusting?" "It's usually the sluts who sleep with their boss..." "like you." "It happened once a long time ago." "I'm human." "This girl's a robot." "Within two months, she's on the editorials, reports and interviews." "Weren't they free for the taking?" "You'd rather have fun with Gilles than work hard." "What's your problem with Victoire, Clara?" "Ever since she spat on my column, I can't write a word." "And I feel old compared to her." "Come on!" "You lie to your boyfriend like a 16-year-old." "Hello, Thaïs." "How are you?" "Adopting a child can completely transform your best friend." "She already hangs up on me when I call." "Your best friend also becomes your most annoying friend." "Your shoes..." "Of course." "I dodged tons of dog turds." "I won't be able to come because my babysitter backed out on me." "Plus I've got tons of work." "Your daughter could take phone calls if she'd talk more." "The specialist said she's learning her new language well." "Hi." "Couldn't he baby-sit?" "No, I'm meeting my buddies." "They're more important than his daughter." "She never wants to go out, so I shouldn't either." "And where do you go with your buddies?" "We go see strippers, stuff our faces, pick on transvestites, and end up in a swingers club." "The usual, you know." "That's nice." "Rather tempting." "Actually, we drink a few beers and come home before midnight." "But to her, there's no difference." " See you!" " Bye!" "See you later." "Come on, we'll find a babysitter and go out." "I'm stressed too." "No, Clara." "It's not just work." "I think you can see that things are different for me now." "Well, it's not something I can relate to." "You still don't want any of your own?" "I don't want the hassle right now." "But you and Gilles will have to think about it sometime." "What's the matter with everyone these days?" "Having fun is important, too." "And requires some concentration and goodwill." "Where's that corkscrew?" "I'm sure the thief downstairs pinched it along with..." "Clara, patron saint of pains in the neck, forgive me!" " It's not my birthday." " I know." " It's not Christmas, either." " It isn't?" "From the way you were eyeing it, I thought you'd like it." "You're crazy!" "I love seeing you happy." "I know it's crazy, but..." "Thanks, it's..." "It's what?" "I'm not used to people being so thoughtful towards me." "After all, I lived a long time with Clara." "And you still live with her in a way." "I sense a hint of a subliminal message in there." "We exchanged apartment keys." "You keep some of your things at my place, I keep some at yours." "Maybe we could ask ourselves the obvious question." "I'm an honorable man." "If you're pregnant, I'll marry you." "Don't you think it's time we thought about living together?" "Do I have to answer right away?" "Don't worry." "Take your time." "Before, all it took to unwind was to go out, even alone." "Now, if you drag yourself out, you regret not staying home all snug with your boyfriend." "Is this what's known as maturity?" "It feels so great to fight the feeling of growing older." "To feel light, to float above reality, without thinking about falling back down" "This time, you'll really be late, Clara." "Clara!" "International law seminars seem to have a strange effect on you." "Aren't you tired of bringing me my coffee to bed each morning?" "Why?" "Are you tired of it?" "What's wrong?" "I've just remembered that damned audit." "On top of that, I still haven't written a word of my article." "That's weird." "You worked on it all night." "Why do I have the feeling I'm stagnating?" "I've been dragging my feet at the mag for three years..." "Three years?" "That's funny." "That corresponds exactly..." "Exactly." "If I'm a tortoise professionally, it's your fault:" "You make me too happy." "I love your mood swings and little lies." "What if we took the motorcycle on the highway tonight?" "We could exit wherever we like and pick a little café..." "Only that tonight's outing is called "dinner at your mom's."" "Your rugby player evening looked like a good idea." "I forced myself to have fun." "It worked, but the down side is that I missed Gilles." "Yesterday, Marc asked me if I wanted to move in together." "That's great, isn't it?" "I don't know." "The ordinary times together are great." "But is that enough to live together?" "Maybe that's what they call maturity." "Dammit!" "I'll probably have to start maturing too." "I guess I'll begin at work." " Good morning, Clara." " Morning, Julien." "Thanks." "You're pretty too." "A pretty big idiot." "Bertrand!" "I wanted to talk to you." "I'm 33, I want to move forward professionally." "I thought you were satisfied with your column." " Is it finished, by the way?" " Ages ago!" "I need to take on new challenges, you understand?" "No." "But I'm sure you'll explain." "You know I have good interpersonal skills." "Yes." "You just proved it with Julien." "Absolutely." "Since the audit was announced, I've been a bit on edge." "No one's job is on the line." "But for tomorrow's interview, I suggest a bit more self-control." "What did you want to tell me, Clara?" "I have seniority over Victoire." "Why can't I do interviews?" "Clara's welcome to take my place for Bernard Henri Lévy's interview at noon." "Have you read his latest book?" "No." "But I love him." "He's handsome." "I wonder what he uses to make his shirts so white." "See you later." "I thought you didn't like to keep my mother waiting." "You think I'd have stopped you if you'd told me the truth?" "Then why do you always have to lie to me?" "Sometimes I'm scared of living like everyone else so I act up even more, that's why!" "Clara!" "If you lived like everyone else, we wouldn't be together." "I love your sense of freedom and even your silliness." "But there's one thing I can't stand: your lies." "There's that audit and that girl who wants to take my place." "What does she have to do with anything?" "Why does she have to be so young, professional and perfect?" "Why do I feel like an old bumbling fool next to her?" "You try hard to be one, don't you?" "You're the one who's putting obstacles in your path." "You want to ask the deeper questions about your work and us but in the end, you're petrified, aren't you?" "How come you understand me when I don't understand myself?" "Because I love you." "Come on!" "Your family's waiting." "Will you tell me a story, Clara?" "A story?" "That's my specialty." "There once was a booger that was terrified of being eaten." "She used to always tell me the same story:" "The big monster under your bed will eat your dick if you cry." "No!" "The story ended well, at least?" "I don't know." "She'd turn off the light and leave the room." "I wondered what she'd tell him so he wouldn't cry at night." "Your daughter was terrific with her little brother." "Yup." "I loved monsters when I was little." "Still do." "We have an announcement to make." "Sophie's leaving you?" "The family's getting bigger." "Actually, much bigger." "Two boys." "Twins." "Congratulations!" "I'm so happy!" "You're not gonna drink, are you?" " No, no." " Oh, shit!" "My quiche!" " Have you decided on the names?" " Oh, no!" "We're not there yet." "You shouldn't wait too long." "Can I help you, Mom?" "You know very well that everything's always ready when you offer to help, dear." "Go ahead, since you're dying to." "Ask me when it'll be our turn." "Gilles is an extraordinary man." "I understand why you'd want to enjoy this before asking any tough questions." "How come you always understand everything?" "It's infuriating!" "Dinner's ready!" "Coming here was a good idea." "It's a change from all those trendy restaurants full of gays." " Did you think about it?" " About what?" "About what I asked you yesterday." "It's a matter that requires some thought, no?" "Well, that's what we're here for." "Actually, I did think about it." "If I move to your place, it's closer to work." "But after living downtown, I couldn't live in your area." "Everyone says the air's cleaner because of the woods." "But with my hay fever, it'll be hell in spring." "And if you move to my place, that creates other problems." "You'd have to turn the second bedroom into an office to write your scripts, and I don't think it's healthy to write where you live." "And it's important to have a second room for guests..." "JP!" "I asked you a question that comes before these." "Would you ever want to do it?" "No." "I was expecting a "maybe" or "I don't know, not yet."" "But that's at least clear." "Will you have some dessert, gentlemen?" " The check, please." " Very well." "I forgot my keys at the workshop." "Do you have yours?" "No." "What if we go to a little downtown hotel instead?" "Or wait for the lights to go out." "And fool around in the dark?" "Or ask the question we haven't asked." "Just in time!" "JP, what's wrong?" "I never thought that having the courage to tell him would depress me." "How about going to your place to watch a DVD?" "I thought you were stressed by the audit?" "Me, stressed?" "If they don't like my column, they can fire me!" "And it's been so long since the three of us were together." "When I'm in an office alone, I'm much more inspired." "You realize that giving you an office of your own isn't in line with cost-cutting measures?" "But it's a way for me to improve my productivity." "Alright." "On to the professional assessment questions." "First question:" "In your opinion, what is your greatest flaw?" "I love to tell lies." "I also adore food." "Very well." "You really said that?" "What gives them the right to ask us all these questions?" "Everyone here works well except me." "It's time I admit." "I'm an idler." "Imagine!" "Freaking out over this audit!" "I've got love, health and a job." "If I have to lose one, it's an easy choice!" "Your way of dealing with problems is fascinating." "Maybe that's maturity." "And you, JP, do you have any news from Marc?" "Well, you'll see each other at Gilles's show tonight." "Maybe you'll make up." " What if he doesn't show up?" " He will." "That meeting freed me." "I'm not like Victoire, who has PC plugs stuck up her nose." "And this evening will be big for me." "No one'll ruin it!" "It should be Gilles's evening." "It's all the same." "Gilles is the prince of cabinetmakers, and I'm his princess!" "Tonight, I'll be the belle of the ball." "So how did the interview go?" "Very well." "Extremely well." "What about your column?" "I thought it was finished." "You know me: so perfectionist I don't know when to stop." "Patience!" "Lies can be like a shortcut:" "the only way to save time." "Only there's no sign telling you it's a dead end." "How are you liking it?" "Good." "I'm going to find my man." "Your family left." "They were tired of waiting." "It's not so obvious finding the right outfit for this place." " It's nice." " So where's my talented man?" "Over there." "But get ready for a big surprise." " Oh, yeah?" " Go see!" "Hi, honey!" "No need to introduce you to Victoire." "Christian, my husband." " Good evening." " Good evening." "Since you've been talking about it on the phone for a month," "I thought we'd come." "It's Christian's field." "We had a free evening." "I wasn't in the mood for home decoration, but what an amazing talent!" "Thank you." "Christian has just bought the desk." "We've been invited to dinner after the delivery." "Victoire tells me she has a lot of fun at work with you around." "I hope so." "My job description includes clowning around." "Anyway, we'll be happy to come on Saturday." "With pleasure." "Excuse me." "I'm so thirsty I'd drink a whole bottle of vodka." "Anyway..." "Marc didn't come, so the message is clear." "You, on the other hand, are hard to read right now." "You don't find it strange that that Medusa and her hubby are staying so long?" "Yes." "Christian de Neuville, interior decoration guru, loves Gilles's work and buys his best piece." "How could she do that to you?" "Actually, being a cabinetmaker's girl is annoying." "People who ask about his work are really wondering about mine." "The guys I used to meet didn't start by asking me about my job." "You were single and whined about it in your little corner." "Now you want to act like you're single when you're not." " Would you like some champagne?" " Yes, thanks." "Sorry, I'm not cutting in, am I?" "Not at all." "This is my best gay friend." "I'm complaining to him that I have no one to go out with." "That can be fixed." "So what does a pretty lady like you do in life?" "I graduated from the ENA." "I work at the Department of Defense." "And I'm also single and hot to trot." "Sorry." "By the way, Clara, what does ENA stand for?" "I see." "You're trying to make a fool of me, are you?" "No, she's a true ENA grad, but with a diploma in fibbing." "Thanks for ruining my plan." "Just when it was getting amusing." "It's painful to see you regress like that." "Plus, I'm depressed." "I'm going home to bed." "Ciao." "So, you're single and hot to trot?" "Hi." "Were you watching me under the shower?" "Like everyone else here, yes." "But you're not like everyone else." "I can tell." "With you the physical doesn't count." "Same here, otherwise, I'd ignore you." "Meaning I'm ugly?" "No, you're near the top of your category." " Oh." " No, C." "Guys with Charm." "After the C's, there are the B's: guys with a nice Body." "And after, it's the A's." "The Apollos who have it all." "Being an A isn't as fun as people think." "It's lonely." "But I don't mind." "I'm not looking for another A." "Oh?" "I mean, Oh, yeah?" "I'm not interested in sex." "Are we going to your place?" "Gilles, talk to me!" "I was kidding." "He asked me who that two-faced nympho was." "And it was you!" "I was just having fun." "I've told you that I can't stand your lies." "But they're not big lies." "They just add a little spice to life." "I need to be able to trust you." "Do you understand?" "Darn it!" "Help me!" "The strap is stuck." "It's easy for you to sit on your high horse." "You're so perfect!" "My flaws are apparent!" "What about yours?" "What's your secret?" "Go ahead, tell me!" "You kill little old ladies?" "Go in drag?" "This is complete nonsense." " Your perfection's suffocating!" " My perfection's in your mind!" "Oh, no." "It's there each morning in each coffee cup you bring me." "Hold on!" "Are you saying I'm too nice to you?" "Since the start, you've been cool, funny and understanding." "You remain a mystery." "And the more we talk, the less I know about you." "If I'd continued to live with JP, nothing would've changed." "Then move back to JP's!" "I won't stop you!" "Some actions you regret immediately." "But you can't undo them right away." "JP?" "There's a woman ogling us from the entrance." "Oh, no!" "Clara!" "Pretend I'm not there." "You never saw me, OK?" "Goddammit, get back to your boyfriend!" "I can't!" "We had a fight." " Good morning." " Morning." "I'm Brad." "Apparently, you're a journalist." "Yes, apparently." " Personal stories, you see?" " Yes." "Not that sex interests me, but I don't know what else to write." "How do you do it?" "You're starting to get on my nerves." "Please, JP, not in front of people." "Don't you think everyone around you is fed up?" "You push your boyfriend over the edge." "And I have to suffer for it." "I expect you to make up with him by the time I finish my shower." " Hello, Clara." " Hello, Marc." "Someone's spent the night here, I see." "Oh, no." "You're mistaken." "Girls aren't my thing." "I dig JP." "JP, it's Marc!" "Excuse me." "So, what mag do you work for?" "JP!" "Sorry for yesterday." "I can usually prevent her from going up..." "It's OK." "I know what she's like." "I don't know what's eating her right now." "It's simple: when something bothers her, she acts weird." "Do you think it's her column?" "No." "It's something between you." "She dreamed about you a long time." "We're the same: when the dream becomes real, we freak out." "I run away." "She goes nuts." "She pushes people to the brink hoping they put their foot down." "She may be trying to back you into a corner to make sure you're not just a dream." "Now you're defending her!" "Don't worry." "Never, ever, ever when she's there." "JP!" "Sometimes I'm afraid of not loving her as well as you do." " Did you tell her that?" " No." "You could start with that." "I couldn't decide on a way to say I'm sorry." "Each morning I bring you your coffee to bed, but each night when we fall asleep, I go off alone." "I go off without you into my dreams and nightmares." "I'm glad I'm not in your nightmares, at least." "I leave you each night." "Waking up beside you, I have to remember that you're there." "Being a couple isn't any easier for me than for you." "Only with me, it's less obvious." "I don't go around saying I'm single." "So in the morning, I go out when you're asleep." "I buy bread, the paper." "I turn on the coffee-maker." "And it feels great to spend some time without you." "When I come back and there's that wonderful aroma of coffee," "I can't wait to find you and share this new day with you." "Thanks." "And I won't ever lie to you." "I promise." "Making a nice promise is one thing." "Clara!" "But keeping it is another." "Your article?" "I'm still waiting for it." "Bertrand, I shot myself in the foot at the interview." "And I haven't written a word." "I don't even have an excuse." "Actually, I do." "But it's really dumb." "I'm scared that Victoire is more important to you than I am." "If I were only editor-in-chief, she'd be more important to me." "I was advised to fire you." "But I'm still the boss around here." "If you don't help me, I can't continue to protect you." "I need your article on Monday, understand?" "Yes." "Often, when you have something important to do on the weekend, you find a thousand reasons not to do it." "And when you have nothing in common with someone, you come to realize it's absurd to compare yourself to them." "I don't believe what they say about balancing work and family." "You can only do well one thing at a time." "Don't you agree?" "I'm the type who does it all any which way." "Darling!" "Darling, do you know what Gilles just did to me?" "Christian, I'm not turning you down." "But I like going at my own pace." "I have other plans right now." "You can love a man and worry about another you've loved a long time." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to do it." "You didn't mean to, but it's too late, it's broken." "Look, I'm sure a good glassmaker could restore it." "I'm not just talking about the vase." "Why did you pressure me so suddenly?" "We met in a sauna and fucked all night." "Six months later, we have to get married." "We've got the right to get to know each other first." "We first need to want to get to know each other." "You've made your feelings clear." "I think I've gotten to know you." "Your girlfriend lives with the guy you were nuts about." "But you need company." "You were right, JP." "I shouldn't have asked you that." "There are questions for which the answer's obvious." "Happy dreams, darling." "To prepare for what's important, you can take lots of time and start at the last minute on Sunday night." "You dream of being a famous newscaster on CNN and end up with the reputation of a two-faced nympho, a slob who dives recklessly into job interviews." "But in this performance-driven world, making others laugh, even at one's own expense, is a difficult and noble task." "Signed, Clara Sheller." "Gilles's really incredible." "He's like the perfect man." "Not always." "You didn't say much on Saturday." "What's your take on having kids?" "At your age, it must be on your mind." "Actually, it's already settled." "When you love to lie and haven't lied in a while, you can easily fall back into the habit." "Please don't tell anyone." "I didn't want to announce it." "Not before the standard three months." "If you're gonna lie, then go all the way." "Gilles and I never really talked it over." "It just happened." "Children are life, the unexpected." "They can't be programmed like a career." "See you, Victoire!" "What if true maturity was accepting it will elude you?" "Hello." "Hello, Gilles." "No, she left." "By the way, congratulations." "She told me the happy news." "So how does it feel to know you'll be a dad?" "I'm... speechless." "Translation:" "Margaret Rudnicki TV5 Québec Canada"